Neoatractides (Allotorrenticola) erato, Pešić, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2014

Pešić, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2014, Torrenticolid water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Torrenticolidae) from Ghana, Zootaxa 3820 (1), pp. 1-80 : 24-27

Neoatractides (Allotorrenticola) erato n. sp.

( Figs. 11A–F , 12I , 14I )

Type series. Holotype male, dissected and slide mounted, Ghana, small rainforest stream upstream Sagyimase, Atewa Hills, 6º 13.964 N, 0º 33.116 W, alt. 654 m asl., 8.iii.2011, Smit.

Diagnosis. Shoulder platelets fused to the large dorsal plate; medial suture line of Cx-II+III relatively long; P- 1 separate from P-2, P-3 slightly longer than P-4, P-2 and -3 each with relatively short and slender ventral seta but without ventral projections; gnathosoma with conspicuous oral papillae sensu Wiles (1997); chelicera with relatively long cheliceral claw (L basal segment/claw ratio 2.6).

Description. Male. General features —Shoulder platelets fused to the large dorsal plate ( Figs. 11A , 12I ); Cxgl- 4 far posterior at margin of Cx-I/II, near I-L insertions; medial suture line of Cx-II+III relatively long; posterior suture line of Cx-IV distinct, medially starting from posterior margin of genital field in a right angle to the main idiosoma axis ( Fig. 11B ); genital field subrectangular in shape; ejaculatory complex as illustrated in Fig. 11E ; excretory pore and Vgl-1 away from line of primary sclerotizaztion; P-1 separate from P-2, P-2 relatively long, P-3 slightly longer than P-4, P-2 and -3 each with relatively short and slender ventral seta but without ventral projections ( Fig. 11C ). Gnathosoma with conspicuous oral papillae and short posterodorsal projections, rostrum narrower than remainder of the gnathosoma ( Fig. 11D ); chelicera long with relatively long cheliceral claw (L basal segment/claw ratio 2.6).

Measurements. Idiosoma (ventral view: Figs. 11A , 14I ) L 603, W 415, dorsal shield ( Figs. 11A , 12I ) L 475, W 373, L/W ratio 1.2; frontal platelets L 162–163, W 51, L/W ratio 3.2; gnathosomal bay L 113, Cx-I total L 238, Cx- I mL 125, Cx-II+III mL 112; ratio Cx-I L/Cx-II+III mL 2.1; Cx-I mL/Cx-II+III mL 1.1; genital field L/W 142/114, ratio 1.24; ejaculatory complex L 222; distance genital field-excretory pore 77; genital field-caudal idiosoma margin 109; gnathosoma vL 270; chelicera total L 354, claw L 101, basal segment L 260, L basal segment/claw ratio 2.6; palp: total L 194, dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 35/29, 1.21; P-2, 74/38–39, 1.92; P-3, 37/35, 1.07; P-4, 35/ 23–24, 1.51; P-5, 13/12, 1.02; P-2/P-4 ratio 2.09; dL of I-L-2–6 (Fig.): 68, 75, 82, 92, 98–99; I-L-6 H 40, dL/H I- L-6 ratio 2.46.

Etymology. The species is named after Erato (Ancient Greek: Ἐρατώ), one of nine Muses from Greek mythology, who was a patron of erotic poetry and song. The species name is a noun in apposition (in the nominative case).

Discussion. Neoatractides erato n. sp. is the only representative of the subgenus Allotorrenticol a in Africa. The finger-like gnathosomal rostrum, P-3 without indentation of dorsal margin and the tick apical setae on P-4 are diagnostic for the subgenus ( Wiles 1997). Until now the subgenus has been known only from Asia ( Wiles 1997) and includes five species, i.e., Neoatractides abnormipalpis ( Lundblad, 1941) ( Burma, Malaysia, Brunei; Wiles 1997), N. bahtilli (Wiles, 1991) ( Malaysia, Thailand; Wiles 1997, Pešić & Smit 2009), N. malayensis (Wiles, 1991) ( Malaysia, Thailand; Wiles 1997, Pešić & Smit 2009), N. suvarna ( Cook, 1967) ( India, Cook 1967) and N. calidus Pešić, Smit & Saboori, 2012 (South Iran, Pešić et al. 2012a). Due to the absence of projections on P-2 and P-3, the male of the new species resembles N. abnormipalpis and N. calidus . From both species, Neoatractides erato n. sp. differs in the shoulder platelets fused to the large dorsal plate. Neoatractides abnormipalpis can easily be distinguished by P-1 partially fused with P-2 and in a very reduced P-4 (shorter than P-3) and P-5 (see Wiles 1991). Neoatractides calidus (in parentheses data taken from Pešić et al. 2012a) differs in the gnathosoma with inconspicuous oral papillae, a longer ventral seta on P-2 and P-3, chelicera with a relatively much shorter cheliceral claw (basal segment/claw ratio 4.3), a shorter medial suture of Cx-II+III (62 μm), a smaller genital field, Cx-IV posteriorly extending well beyond genital field and excretory pore and Vgl-2 on the margin of primary sclerotization shifted to posterior margin of idiosoma (see Pešić et al. 2012a).

Habitat. A sandy/bouldary stream, shaded by rain forest.

Distribution. Ghana; known only from the locus typicus.

Figures

FIGURE 11 A – F. Neoatractides erato n. sp., holotype male, upstream Sagyimase: A = dorsal shield (left frontal platelet missing); B = idiosoma, ventral view; C = palp, medial view; D = gnathosoma and chelicera; E = ejaculatory complex; F = I-L- 5 and - 6. Scale bars = 100 Μm.

FIGURE 12 A – I. Photographs of dorsal shield: A – B Torrenticola anomallela Cook, 1966: A = male from Akaa Falls, B = female from Apkonu stream. C – D Torrenticola bomiensis Cook, 1966: C = male from Supon stream, D = female from Tagbo river. E – F Torrenticola fasciata (K. Viets, 1916), unnamed creek crossing road to Ankasa NP: E—male, F—female. G – H Torrenticola motasi Cook, 1966: G = female from tributary of Oguntwe, H = male from stream downstream of Wanjakli Falls. I Neoatractides erato n. sp., holotype male, upstream Sagyimase.

FIGURE 14 A – I. Photographs of ventral shield: A – B Torrenticola anomallela Cook, 1966: A = male from Akaa Falls, B = female from Apkonu stream. C – D Torrenticola bomiensis Cook, 1966: C = male from Supon stream, D = female from Tagbo river. E – F Torrenticola fasciata (K. Viets, 1916), unnamed creek crossing road to Ankasa NP: E = male, F = female. G – H Torrenticola motasi Cook, 1966: G = male from stream downstream of Wanjakli River, H = female from tributary of Oguntwe. I Neoatractides erato n. sp., holotype male, upstream Sagyimase.