Torrenticola oliveri Fisher & Dowling

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 oliveri Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, Oregon, Curry County, Siskiyou National Forest; beside Road #33 between Powers and Agness, (42°39'39"N, 124°4'4"W), 2 July 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830019.

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 4 ♂): California, United States: 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Mendocino County, beside Rt. 1, 3.6 km southwest of Rt. 101, (39°51'51"N, 123°44'44"W), 5 August 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870130 • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Trinity County, beside Rt. 36, 5.2 km west of Forest Glen Station, (40°23'23"N, 123°21'21"W), 6 August 1987, by IM Smith & JD Smith, IMS870132 • Oregon, United States: 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Curry County, Siskiyou National Forest; beside Road #33 between Powers and Agness, (42°39'39"N, 124°4'4"W), 2 July 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830019 • 1 ♀ from Curry County, Port Orford; Humbug Mountain State Park Picnic Area off Rt. 101, (42°41'41"N, 124°26'26"W), 1 July 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830013 • 1 ♂ from Curry County, Port Orford; Humbug Mountain State Park Picnic Area off Rt. 101, (42°41'41"N, 124°25'25"W), 1 July 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830012 • Washington, United States: 1 ♀ from Pierce County, Mt. Rainier National Park; Sunshine Point Campground, (46°44'44"N, 121°54'54"W), 30 June 1976, by IM Smith, IMS760177.

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and some paratypes (2 ♀; 2 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (2 ♀; 1 ♂) deposited in the ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola oliveri are similar to members of the Miniforma group ( T. copipalpa , T. manni , T. miniforma , T. pacificensis , T. rockyensis , and T. pinocchio ) in having similar pedipalpal extensions (unique to members of this group). T. oliveri can be differentiated from all other members of Miniforma Complex by having a longer anterior venter (250-310 in T. oliveri , 173-235 in others) and more elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width = 3.68-4.13 in T. oliveri , 2.47-3.50 in others).

Description.

Female (Figure 173) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (615-710 (645) long; 480-545 (490) wide) ovoid with faint pink coloration without a distinct pattern. Anterio-medial platelets (125-157.5 (130) long; 65-75 (65) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (210-245 (210) long; 75-87.5 (75) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 370-430 (395)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.27-1.34 (1.32); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.24-1.30 (1.24); anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.92-2.10 (2.00); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.63-2.97 (2.80); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.56-1.68 (1.62).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (370-397.5 (397.5) long (ventral); 285-297.5 (297.5) long (dorsal); 112.5-122.5 (117.5) tall) colorless. Rostrum (150-160 (160) long; 47.5-50 (50) wide). Chelicerae (380-415 (415) long) with curved fangs (55-65 (60) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 3.08-3.38 (3.38); rostrum length/width 3.00-3.20 (3.20). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and dentate, tuberculate ventral extensions on genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (33.75-37.5 (37.5) long); femur (110-118.75 (118.75) long); genu (75-83.75 (83.75) long); tibia (80-87.5 (85) long; 20-23.75 (22.5) wide); tarsus (12.5-15 (15) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.38-1.53 (1.42); tibia/femur 0.72-0.75 (0.72); tibia length/width 3.68-4.00 (3.78).

Venter - (770-835 (805) long; 550-650 (580) wide) with faint pink coloration. Gnathosomal bay (155-167.5 (167.5) long; 70-90 (72.5) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (80-95 (80) long). Genital plates (190-205 (205) long; 170-180 (180) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (320-340 (320) long (total); 140-185 (155) long (medial)); Cx-3 (340-400 (360) wide); anterior venter (250-290 (250) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.75-2.31 (2.31); anterior venter/genital field length 1.22-1.45 (1.22); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.39-1.63 (1.39); anterior venter/medial suture 2.86-3.38 (3.13).

Male (Figure 174) (n = 5) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (575-640 (590) long; 445-470 (470) wide ovoid with faint pink coloration without a distinct pattern. Anterio-medial platelets (125-140 (125) long; 60-75 (60) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (205-220 (220) long; 65-90 (80) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 355-375 (375)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.26-1.39 (1.26); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.25-1.28 (1.25); anterio-medial platelet length/width 1.87-2.17 (2.08); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.39-3.15 (2.75); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.54-1.76 (1.76).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (325-367.5 (355) long (ventral); 260-285 (262.5) long (dorsal); 105-110 (110) tall) colorless. Rostrum (135-145 (135) long; 45-47.5 (45) wide). Chelicerae (350-410 (365) long) with curved fangs (55-55 (55) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 3.10-3.34 (3.23); rostrum length/width 3.00-3.11 (3.00). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and dentate, tuberculate ventral extensions on genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (32.5-35 (35) long); femur (105-107.5 (107.5) long); genu (75-80 (80) long); tibia (82.5-90 (87.5) long; 20-22.5 (21.25) wide); tarsus (12.5-15 (15) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.34-1.40 (1.34); tibia/femur 0.79-0.86 (0.81); tibia length/width 4.00-4.13 (4.12).

Venter - (725-795 (725) long; 515-540 (540) wide) with faint pink coloration. Gnathosomal bay (142.5-150 (150) long; 60-70 (70) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (105-130 (105) long). Genital plates (155-165 (160) long; 120-130 (130) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (290-310 (295) long (total); 145-165 (150) long (medial)); Cx-3 (330-350 (350) wide); anterior venter (270-310 (270) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.14-2.40 (2.14); anterior venter/genital field length 1.69-1.88 (1.69); anterior venter length/genital field width 2.08-2.58 (2.08); anterior venter/medial suture 2.27-2.57 (2.57).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( oliveri ) named in honor of comedian John Oliver and his team, whose commentary on Last Week Tonight breaches the realm of comedy and enters journalism. News and politics, like science, require both challenging misinformation and effectively communicating those challenges-tasks Oliver has humbly mastered.

Distribution.

Pacific Northwest (Figure 172).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola oliveri and therefore this species is not included in our phylogenetic analyses. However, we were able to examine morphology with material preserved in GAW. The overall appearance, small size, distribution, and distinctive flange on pedipalpal genua place this species in the Miniforma Identification Group within the Miniforma Complex.