Torrenticola calliope, Pešić, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2014

Pešić, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2014, Torrenticolid water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Torrenticolidae) from Ghana, Zootaxa 3820 (1), pp. 1-80 : 21

Torrenticola calliope n. sp.

Synonymy. Torrenticola harrisoni K. Viets, 1956 sensu Motas & Tanasachi 1968 : p. 175, figs. 4–6); Goldschmidt & Smit (2009: p. 191, fig. 5).

Type material. Holotype male ( RMNH: ZMA. ACAR.32333), Ethiopia, Roby River, 9º 44.996 N, 38º 59.743 E, alt. 2507 m asl., 21.x.2006, Smit; described and illustrated by Goldschmidt & Smit (2009) in fig. 5, dissected and slide mounted. Paratype ( RMNH): 1/0/0, same data as holotype, unmounted.

Diagnosis. Cxgl-4 far posterior at margin of Cx-I/II between I-L and II-L insertions, but approaching to I-L insertion; P-2 and P-3 with a subrectangular, apically serrated distoventral projection, moderately long ventral seta laterally at base of ventrodistal protrusion of P-2, ventrodistal protrusion P-4 stout with well developed ventral protuberance in distal half of segment.

Description. Male as described by Goldschmidt & Smit (2009) from Ethiopia, and illustrated in their figure 5 as Torrenticola harrisoni K. Viets, 1956 . Female as described and illustrated Motas & Tanasachi (1968) from River Takazé, Ethiopia, and illustrated in their figures 4–6 as Torrenticola harrisoni K. Viets, 1956 .

General features —Cxgl–4 far posterior at margin of Cx-I/II between I-I and II-L insertions, but approaching I- L insertion; ventral margin of gnathosoma moderately curved, rostrum well developed and slender (see Fig. 5B in Goldschmidt & Smit 2009); P-2 shorter than P-4, P-2 ventral margin convex, moderately long ventral seta (longer than length of P-2 ventral projection) laterally at base of ventrodistal protrusion of P-2, P-2 and P-3 with a subrectangular, apically serrated distoventral projection, P-4 with well developed ventral protuberance just in distal half of segment (see Figs. 5B–C in Goldschmidt & Smit 2009). Male: medial suture line of Cx-II+III moderately long; ejaculatory complex with small proximal chamber (see Fig. 5B in Goldschmidt & Smit 2009). Female: genital field pentagonal (see Fig. 4 in Motas & Tanasachi 1968).

Etymology. The species is named after Calliope (Ancient Greek: Καλλιόπη), one of nine Muses from Greek mythology, who was a patron of epic poetry and song. The species name is a noun in apposition (in the nominative case), despite the Recommendation 31A of the ICZN (1999) about avoidance of personal names as nouns in appositions, because there is no case for it being confusing or misleading.

Discussion. Goldschmidt & Smit (2009) were aware that specimens from Ethiopia assigned to Torrenticola harrisoni , those described Motas & Tanasachi (1968) and their two males differ from the type specimen described by K.Viets (1956) from South Africa. Moreover, they mentioned that their specimens differ from those described by K. Viets (1956) as well as by Motas & Tanasachi (1968) in having a longer and slender ventrodistal protrusion of P-2, a relatively shorter P-2 and a relatively longer P-4. Goldschmidt & Smit (2009) mentioned that the ventral seta on P-2 of their specimen is longer than in the figure given by Motas & Tanasachi (1968), however, they considered that to be a case of intraspecific variability. In the light of newly discovered findings of Torrenticola harrisoni in Ghana, these morphological differences cannot be attributed to intraspecific variability. The specimens from Ethiopia described by Goldschmidt & Smit (2009) as well the specimens described by Motas & Tanasachi (1968) differ from the orginal description of T. harrisoni and specimens from our study in having a moderately long ventral seta laterally at the base of the ventrodistal protrusion of P-2. In the figures given by K. Viets (1956) and K.O. Viets (1965) this seta is completely missing. In specimens in our study this seta is very short, denticle-like and inserted closely at distal edge of P-2 ventrodistal protrusion (see Figs. 8A–C , 10B–C ). This seta is hardly visible and sometimes not exceeding the serrate distal edge of the ventrodistal protrusion, so it is possible that it has been overlooked in the description of South African specimens. In our opinion the Ethiopian populations reported by Goldschmidt & Smit (2009) and Motas & Tanasachi (1968) differ from populations from South Africa and Ghana, and warrant the erection of a new species, Torrenticola calliope n. sp.

Distribution. Ethiopia.

Figures

FIGURE 5 A – E. Torrenticola fasciata (K. Viets, 1916), unnamed creek crossing road to Ankasa NP (A – D = male, E = female): A = dorsal shield; B = idiosoma, ventral view; C = ejaculatory complex; D = palp, medial view; E = palp, lateral view. Scale bars = 100 Μm.

FIGURE 4 A – B. Torrenticola bomiensis Cook, 1966, male, Supon stream: A = idiosoma, ventral view; B = palp, medial view. Scale bars = 100 Μm.

FIGURE 8 A – F. Torrenticola harrisoni K. Viets, 1956, Form '' A' ', Laboun River (A – B, D – F = male, C = female): A, C = palp, medial view; B = palp, lateral view; D = gnathosoma; E = ejaculatory complex; F = I-L- 5 and - 6. Scale bars = 100 Μm.

FIGURE 10 A – E. Torrenticola harrisoni K. Viets, 1956, Form '' B' ' (A – B, D – E = male, C = female; B = specimen from Plunge pool Agumatsa Falls, A, C – E = specimens from Agumatsa River): A, C = palp, medial view; B = palp, lateral view; D = I-L- 5 and - 6; E = gnathosoma. Scale bars = 100 Μm.