Testudacarus deceptivus O'Neill & Dowling

O'Neill, Joseph C., Fisher, J. Ray, Nelson, Whitney A., Skvarla, Micheal J., Fisher, Danielle M. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2016, Systematics of testudacarine torrent mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae) with descriptions of 13 new species from North America, ZooKeys 582, pp. 13-110 : 37-39

Taxon classification Animalia Trombidiformes Torrenticolidae

Testudacarus deceptivus O'Neill & Dowling sp. n.

Type series.

Holotype (1♀): California, USA: 1♀ from Los Angeles County, Angeles National Forest, North Fork of San Gabriel River, off Route 39 (34°16'16.00"N, 117°50'46.00"W), 8 September 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF13-0908-001 (Specimen 143652 - DNA#2078); Paratype (1♂): California, USA: (allotype) 1♂ from Sierra County, Tahoe National Forest, Milton Creek near confluence of North Yuba River, (39°34'4.00"N, 120°36'54.00"W), 25 August 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF13-0825-004 (Specimen 143666 - DNA#2091)

Type deposition.

Holotype (1♀) and allotype (1♂) deposited at the CNC.

Diagnosis.

Testudacarus deceptivus have only been found in two counties (Los Angeles and Sierra) in California and cannot be distinguished from either Testudacarus minimus or Testudacarus vulgaris using morphology.

Description. Female (n=1) with characteristics of the genus with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [174 ventral length; 104 dorsal length; 90 tall] elliptical to ovoid with short rostrum and colorless. Chelicerae [144 long] unmodified with lightly curved fangs [32 long]. Pedipalp [190 long] unmodified. Trochanter [28 long; 29 wide]. Femur [53 long; 42 wide]. Genu [39 long; 32 wide]. Tibia [50 long; 23 wide]. Tarsus [19 long; 10 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 19) - [597 long; 468 wide] ovoid and colorless. Dorsal plate [500 long; 410 wide]. Primary sclerotization [420 long]. Dorso-glandularia-4 [244 apart] in line with and well lateral to [78] muscle scars. Platelets completely colorless. Anterio-medial platlet [133 long; 74 wide]. Anterio-lateral platelet [168 long; 70 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [54 long; 43 wide]; lateral-2 [126 long; 31 wide]; lateral-3 [42 long; 20 wide]; lateral-4 [115 long; 29 wide]; lateral-5 [45 long; 27 wide]; lateral-6 [89 long; 30 wide]; lateral-7 [62 long; 27 wide].

Venter (Fig. 19) - [777; 521 wide] ovoid and colorless. Primary sclerotization [600 long]. Gnathosomal bay [76 dorsal length; 145 ventral length; 60 wide]. Coxal field [458 long; 336 wide]. Coxa-I [248 long; 102 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [117 distance to top of coxa-II; 192 distance to top of coxa-III; 340 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 223 total length]. Coxa-IV [322 distance to top; 136 total length]. Genital field [318 distance to top; 479 distance to bottom; 160 total length; 133 width; 173 distance from gnathosomal bay; 70 distance from coxa-I; 188 distance to excretory pore; 299 distance to caudad]. Distance to excretory pore [666].

Legs - colorless. Total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [480 total; trochanter 62; basifemur 80; telofemur 64; genu 91; tibia 92; tarsus 90]. Leg-II [519 total; trochanter 63; basifemur 83; telofemur 69; genu 94; tibia 104; tarsus 106]. Leg-III [615 total; trochanter 63; basifemur 85; telofemur 72; genu 115; tibia 133; tarsus 145]. Leg-IV [821 total; trochanter 93; basifemur 112; telofemur 122; genu 161; tibia 178; tarsus 155].

Male (n=1) similar to female except for sexually dimorphic characters previously discussed and with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [139 ventral length; 90 dorsal length; 83 tall]. Chelicerae [125 long]. Fangs [29 long]. Pedipalp [179 long]. Trochanter [26 long; 29 wide]. Femur [48 long; 35 wide]. Genu [40 long; width 29 wide]. Tibia [44 long; 23 wide]. Tarsus [20 long; 10 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 20) - [470 long; 350 wide]. Dorsal plate [397 long; 317 wide]. Dorso-glandularia-4 [169 apart] anterior [39] and lateral to [47] muscle scars. Anterio-medial platelet [105 long; 67 wide]. Anterio-lateral platelets [154 long; 62 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [36 long; 29 wide]; lateral-2 [90 long; 20 wide]; lateral-3 [36 long; 14 wide]; lateral-4 [70 long; 20 wide]; lateral-5 [39 long; 15 wide]; lateral-6 [59 long; 16 wide]; lateral-7 [44 long; 16 wide].

Venter (Fig. 20) - [600; 386 wide]. Primary sclerotization [554 long]. Gnathosomal bay [54 dorsal length; 131 ventral length; 52 wide]. Coxal field [413 long; 290 wide]. Coxa-I [219 long; 88 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [96 distance to top of coxa-II; 168 distance to top of coxa-III; 331 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 235 total length]. Coxa-IV [291 length to top; 122 total length]. Genital field [354 distance to top; 491 distance to bottom; 137 total length; 107 width; 223 distance from gnathosomal bay; 135 distance from coxa-I; 63 distance to excretory pore; 91 distance to caudad]. Genital skeleton [192 long; 89 wide]. Distance to excretory pore [554].

Legs - total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [413 total; trochanter 51; basifemur 69; telofemur 61; genu 73; tibia 79; tarsus 78]. Leg-II [462 total; trochanter 60; basifemur 75; telofemur 59; genu 80; tibia 94; tarsus 93]. Leg-III [517 total; trochanter 56; basifemur 73; telofemur 65; genu 95; tibia 111; tarsus 116]. Leg-IV [688 total; trochanter 76; basifemur 97; telofemur 97; genu 132; tibia 146; tarsus 138].

Etymology.

Specific epithet deceptivus (decept-, L. deceptive) refers to the lack of morphological characters differentiating this species from related species.

Distribution.

Known from only two counties (Los Angeles and Sierra) in California.