Testudacarus rollerae 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 : 73-76

Taxon classification Animalia Trombidiformes Torrenticolidae

Testudacarus rollerae O'Neill & Dowling sp. n.

Type series.

Holotype (1♀): California, USA: 1♀ from Nevada County, Tahoe National Forest, Bear River, at Sierra Discovery day use area upstream from bridge (39°18'35.00"N, 120°39'56.00"W), 26 August 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF13-0826-001 (Specimen 146725 - DNA# 2135); Paratypes (2♀, 2♂): California, USA: (allotype) 1♂ (allotype)from Nevada County, Tahoe National Forest, Bear River, at Sierra Discovery day use area upstream from bridge (39°18'35.00"N, 120°39'56.00"W), 26 August 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF13-0826-001 (Specimen 146724 - DNA# 2134); 1♀ from Nevada County, Tahoe National Forest, Bear River, at Sierra Discovery day use area upstream from bridge (39°18'35.00"N, 120°39'56.00"W), 26 August 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF13-0826-001; 1♀ and 1♂ from Calaveras County, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Big Trees River, (38°16'N, 120°16'W), 12 June 1976, by IM Smith, IMS760099; 1♂ from Mendocino County, Navarro River, Paul M. Dimmick Recreation Area beside Route 128 (39°'10'N, 123°38'W), 29 September 1993, by IM Smith, IMS9300026A.

Type deposition.

Holotype (1♀) and allotype (1♂) deposited at CNC; four paratypes (2♀, 2♂) at ACUA.

Diagnosis.

These mites are smaller and more colorful than other species in the complex and therefore resemble most the Testudacarus minimus -like mites; however, mites of the Testudacarus minimus complex are even smaller and have a smaller (<140 µm, and far less than twice as wide as long), more rounded anterio-medial platelet, while these mites have a larger (>140 µm, and more than or nearly twice as wide as long) more rectangular anterio-medial platelet.

Description.

Female (n=3) with characteristics of genus with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [176-188 ventral length; 105-107 dorsal length; 100-103 tall] elliptical ovoid with short rostrum and colorless. Chelicerae [145-152 long] unmodified with lightly curved fangs [28-30 long]. Pedipalp [202-212 long] unmodified. Trochanter [30-31 long; 28-30 wide]. Femur [56-58 long; 40-41 wide]. Genu [43-47 long; 33-35 wide]. Tibia [52-55 long; 20-23 wide]. Tarsus [20-22 long; 9-10 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 41) - [625-680 long; 483-550 wide] ovoid and mostly colorless. Dorsal plate [526-568 long; 410-475 wide]. Primary sclerotization [431-473 long] light pink to colorless. Dorso-glandularia-4 [192-246 apart] lateral to [45-58] and around muscle scar midline. Platelets colorless. Anterio-medial platelet [153-164 long; 83-93 wide] large trapezoid with nearly straight anterior margin. Anterio-lateral platelets [181-211 long; 88-91 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [46-52 long; 38-40 wide]; lateral-2 [132-148 long; 33-39 wide]; lateral-3 [50-69 long; 19-26 wide]; lateral-4 [107-112 long; 22-29 wide]; lateral-5 [61-86 long; 27-32 wide]; lateral-6 [112-128 long; 25-34 wide]; lateral-7 [31-77 long; 23-33 wide].

Venter (Fig. 41) - [786-884 long; 548-644 wide] round to ovoid and colorless. Primary sclerotization [624-709 long]. Gnathosomal bay [81-96 dorsal length; 154-164 ventral length; 56-60 wide]. Coxal field [478-532 long; 335-394 wide]. Coxa-I [261-290 long; 106-126 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [122-137 distance to top of coxa-II; 198-224 distance to top of coxa-III; 363-395 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 237-257 total length]. Coxa-IV [346-385 distance to top; 132-148 total length]. Genital field [347-374 distance to top; 500-539 distance to bottom; 153-165 total length; 130-139 width; 193-210 distance from gnathosomal bay; 79-87 distance from coxa-I; 199-231 distance to excretory pore; 286-345 distance to caudad]. Eggs [165-178 long; 1 egg]. Distance to excretory pore [699-770].

Legs - colorless. Total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [503-542 total; trochanter 65-68; basifemur 88-93; telofemur 70-81; genu 93-103; tibia 96-102; tarsus 89-97]. Leg-II [510-577 total; trochanter 52-74; basifemur 82-94; telofemur 66-78; genu 94-102; tibia 103-118; tarsus 106-112]. Leg-III [610-657 total; trochanter 64-71; basifemur 92-99; telofemur 73-82; genu 110-122; tibia 127-146; tarsus 137-141]. Leg-IV [843-914 total; trochanter 96-101; basifemur 116-125; telofemur 117-133; genu 166-185; tibia 181-195; tarsus 168-178].

Male (n=3) similar to female except for sexually dimorphic characters previously discussed and with following specifications.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum [160-170 ventral length; 98-109 dorsal length; 81-92 tall]. Chelicerae [132-140 long]. Fangs [27-29 long]. Pedipalp [184-190 long]. Trochanter [23-26 long; 29-30 wide]. Femur [50-51 long; 36-38 wide]. Genu [41-42 long; width 29-30 wide]. Tibia [49-52 long; 19-20 wide]. Tarsus [17-21 long; 8-9 wide].

Dorsum (Fig. 42) - [540-585 long; 412-433 wide]. Dorsal plate [444-487 long; 355-384 wide] with minute secondary sclerotization. Dorso-glandularia-4 [151-167 apart] roughly equal in distance anterior to [32-53] and lateral to [31-43] muscle scars. Anterio-medial platelet [151-158 long; 80-85 wide]. Anterio-lateral platelets [180-188 long; 84-91 wide]. Lateral platelets as follows: lateral-1 [44-49 long; 33-38 wide]; lateral-2 [109-114 long; 31-35 wide]; lateral-3 [50-63 long; 19-22 wide]; lateral-4 [75-91 long; 18-29 wide]; lateral-5 [60-65 long; 22-29 wide]; lateral-6 [66-82 long; 20-33 wide]; lateral-7 [52-61 long; 22-30 wide].

Venter (Fig. 42) - [698-740 long; 453-544 wide]. Primary sclerotization [623-655 long]. Gnathosomal bay [71-80 dorsal length; 138-147 ventral length; 54-60 wide]. Coxal field [475-484 long; 325-374 wide]. Coxa-I [253-263 long; 111-117 midlength]. Coxa-II + III [118-131 distance to top of coxa-II; 185-198 distance to top of coxa-III; 382-396 distance to bottom of coxa-III; 251-274 total length]. Coxa-IV [337-356 length to top; 127-139 total length]. Genital field [406-426 distance to top; 547-570 distance to bottom; 142-146 total length; 114-123 width; 263-280 distance from gnathosomal bay; 152-164 distance from coxa-I; 75-91 distance to excretory pore; 148-176 distance to caudad]. Genital skeleton [190-215 long; 110-112 wide]. Distance to excretory pore [623-655].

Legs - total leg and podomere lengths as follows: Leg-I [472 total; trochanter 59-60; basifemur 83-91; telofemur 66-71; genu 88-91; tibia 91-97; tarsus 83-88]. Leg-II [496-515 total; trochanter 61-66; basifemur 84-87; telofemur 65-69; genu 85-97; tibia 96-108; tarsus 102-107]. Leg-III [554-593 total; trochanter 62-69; basifemur 84-89; telofemur 65-74; genu 100-110; tibia 117-126; tarsus 125-136]. Leg-IV [784-822 total; trochanter 80-95; basifemur 109-116; telofemur 114-115; genu 155-162; tibia 164-174; tarsus 155-162].

Etymology.

Specific epithet rollerae after Elizabeth Ashley Roller, my (JCO) life partner.

Distribution.

Reported from only two counties (Mendocino and Nevada) in California.