Torrenticola projector Habeeb, 1961

Fisher, J. Ray, Fisher, Danielle M., Skvarla, Michael J., Nelson, Whitney A. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2017, Revision of torrent mites (Parasitengona, Torrenticolidae, Torrenticola) of the United States and Canada: 90 descriptions, molecular phylogenetics, and a key to species, ZooKeys 701, pp. 1-496 : 1

Torrenticola projector Habeeb, 1961

Torrenticola projector Habeeb, 1961: 1.

Material examined.

LECTOTYPE (1 ♀): from USA, New York, Cayuga County, Moravia, brook, 22 May 1960, by H Habeeb, HH600011.

PARALECTOTYPE (1 ♂): from USA, New York, Cayuga County, Moravia, brook, 22 May 1960, by H Habeeb, HH600011.

OTHER MATERIAL (25 ♀; 27 ♂): Alabama, USA: 4 ♀ and 4 ♂ from Clay County, Talladega Creek, beside Forest Route 649, 0.8 kilometers northeast of road from Forest Route 600 to Campbell Springs, 2 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900075A • 1 ♂ from Cleburne County, beside Route 431, 3.3 kilometers southeast of Calhoun, Jackson Creek (33°36'N, 85°42'W), 2 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900074 • 2 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Lauderdale County, off Natchez Trace Parkway (34°56'31"N, 87°49'41"W), 24 Sep 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090121 • 1 ♂ from Lauderdale County, off Natchez Trace Parkway (34°56'31"N, 87°49'41"W), 27 Sep 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100162 • Georgia, USA: 1 ♂ from Chattooga County, beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow, 1.4 kilometers south of Pocket Recreation Area, 4 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900077 • 1 ♀ and 2 ♂ from Floyd County, tributary of Johns Creek, beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow, 1.4 kilometers south of The Pocket Campground, 4 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900077 • New York, USA: 3 ♀ and 2 ♂ from Cayuga County, Dutch Hollow Brook, beside Route 38A at Niles, 22 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900113A • 2 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Schuyler County, beside Town Line Road off Route 228, 0.6 kilometers south of Perry City, 21 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900112A • North Carolina, USA: 3 ♀ and 5 ♂ from Yancey County, South Toe River, Lost Cove Picnic Area on Forest Route 472, 2.8 kilometers south of Route 80, 28 Jun 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900065A • 2 ♂ from Yancey County, South Toe River (35°45'10"N, 82°12'43"W), 28 Jun 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900065A • Pennsylvania, USA: 1 ♀ from Fayette County, Dunbar Creek (39°57'50"N, 79835'3.70"W), 10 Aug 2014, by MJ Skvarla, MS 14-0810-001 • 1 ♂ from Fayette County, Dunbar Creek (39°56'16.10"N, 79°35'3.70"W), 10 Aug 2014, by MJ Skvarla, MS 14-0810-002 • Tennessee, USA: 2 ♂ from Monroe County, Turkey Creek, beside Forest Route 35, 2.0 kilometers northeast of road from Route 165 to Miller Chapel Church, 5 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900078 • 2 ♀ from Sevier County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Middle Prong Pigeon River (35°43'32"N, 83°24'2"W), 2 Sep 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090093 • 3 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Sevier County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sugarlands Nature Trail (35°40'47"N, 83°31'51"W), 10 Sep 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100125 • Virginia, USA: 1 ♂ from Amherst County, Upper Otter Creek Overlook beside Blue Ridge, Otter Creek (37°36'57"N, 79°19'27"W), 7 Sep 2007, by IM Smith, IMS070056A • 4 ♀ and 2 ♂ from Washington County, Damascus, Laurel River, beside Route 58 near boundary of Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, 10 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900085A.

Type deposition.

Types (1 ♀; 1 ♂) deposited in the CNC.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola projector are unlike nearly all other Torrenticola in having such elongate bodies and subcapitula. T. elongata are also elongate, but have different dorsal coloration and do not have an elongate subcapitulum. T. tahoei also have elongate subcapitula, but have rounder bodies with different dorsal coloration. T. anoplopalpa also have elongate subcapitula, but have rounder bodies and incomplete hind coxae.

Re-description.

Female (Figure 200) (n = 5) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (625-745 long; 400-470 wide) ovoid and elongate with pink coloration without distinct pattern. Anterio-medial platelets (95-115 long; 55-62.5 wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (185-217.5 long; 50-57.5 wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 320-370). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.52-1.68; dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.24-1.28; anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.73-2.05; anterio-lateral platelet length/width 3.36-3.90; anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.76-1.95.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (382.5-445 long (ventral); 300-333 long (dorsal); 87.5-97.5 tall) colorless and elongate. Rostrum (142.5-172.5 long; 37.5-42.5 wide) elongate. Chelicerae (360-428 long) with curved fangs (51-62 long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 4.03-4.78; rostrum length/width 3.80-4.27. Pedipalps short and stocky (especially tibiae) without extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (47.5-55 long); femur (108.75-125 long); genu (60-70 long); tibia (21.25-25 long; 21.25-25 wide); tarsus (20-22.5 long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.74-1.81; tibia/femur 0.55-0.60; tibia length/width 2.82-3.11.

Venter - (830-931 long; 480-544 wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (92.5-110 long; 67.5-80 wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (50-77.5 long). Genital plates 183.75-188.75 long; 147.5-160 wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (296.75-357 long (total); 215-250 long (medial)); Cx-3 (310-374 wide); anterior venter (285-340 long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.22-1.63; anterior venter/genital field length 1.55-1.84; anterior venter length/genital field width 1.78-2.16; anterior venter/medial suture 4.39-6.05.

Male (Figure 201) (n = 6) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (540-630 (600) long; 335-400 wide) ovoid and elongate with pink coloration without distinct pattern. Anterio-medial platelets (90-112.5 long; 47.5-57.5 wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (170-205 long; 47.5-57.5 wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 265-335). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.54-1.61); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.16-1.26; anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.70-2.20; anterio-lateral platelet length/width 3.23-3.68; anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.61-2.00.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (325-420 long (ventral); 245-334 long (dorsal); 78.75-90 tall) colorless and elongate. Rostrum (127.5-158.75 long; 31.25-35 wide) elongate. Chelicerae (297-382 long) with curved fangs (41-61 long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 3.94-4.94; rostrum length/width 3.64-4.54. Pedipalps short and stocky (especially tibiae) without extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (45-50 long); femur (100-113.75 long); genu (62.5-67.5 long); tibia (62.5-67.5 long; 22.5-22.5 wide); tarsus (17.5-20 long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.58-1.75; tibia/femur 0.59-0.64; tibia length/width 2.78-3.00.

Venter - (680-860 long; 405-492 wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (82.5-132.5 long; 60-75 wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (127.5-142.5 long). Genital plates (137.5-157.5 long; 100-111.25 wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (252-392 long (total); 175-267 long (medial)); Cx-3 (282-355 wide); anterior venter (320-410 long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.38-2.04; anterior venter/genital field length 2.27-2.64; anterior venter length/genital field width 3.20-3.71; anterior venter/medial suture 2.39-3.15.

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Habeeb (1961) did not specify an etymology for the specific epithet ( projector ). However, surely this name reflects the elongated, projectable gnathosoma (proiectus, L. stick out)

Distribution.

Appalachians (Figure 199). T. projector was previously known only from New York; we extend its range throughout the Appalachians.

Remarks.

Torrenticola projector groups with other members of the Tricolor Complex in all analyses with high support and specimens are less than 1% different in COI sequence from each other. In the combined analysis, T. projector groups with two other species ( T. hoosieri and T. pearsoni ) with high support and these species are greater than 4% different from each other. Whereas most eastern members of the Tricolor Complex have distinctive patterns, this clade of three species contains members that lack dark patterns. T. projector is among the most distinctive of all Torrenticola because of the highly elongated gnathosoma and body. Because of this distinctive morphology, we do not place this species into an identification group.

This species hypothesis is supported by low COI divergence within the species (0-2%), high divergence between species (3-15%), and the morphological characters outlined in the diagnosis.