Torrenticola regalis 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 regalis Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♂): from USA, Oregon, Curry County, Port Orford, beside Elk River Road, 9 km east of Elk River Fish Hatchery (42°42'22"N, 124°20'28"W), 18 Jun 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100075, DNA 1442.

PARATYPES (2 ♀; 6 ♂): Oregon, USA: 1 ♀ (ALLOTYPE) from Curry County, Port Orford; beside Elk River Road 9.0 km east of Elk River Fish Hatchery, (42°42'42"N, 124°20'20"W), 18 June 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100075 • 1 ♀ and 6 ♂ from Curry County, Port Orford; beside Elk River Road 9.0 km east of Elk River Fish Hatchery, (42°42'42"N, 124°20'20"W), 18 June 2010, by IM Smith, IMS100075

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and most paratypes (1 ♀; 3 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (1 ♀; 2 ♂) deposited in ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola regalis can be differentiated from all other western Torrenticola by having purple coloration covering the entire dorsal plate and by being the only member of the Miniforma Complex with indistinct or partial hind coxal margins. Occasionally its coloration can look similar to T. tahoei , but T. regalis can be differentiated from T. tahoei by having a shorter anterior venter (200-265 in T. regalis , 285-325 in T. tahoei ), a stockier subcapitulum (ventral length/height = 2.41-2.68 in T. regalis , 3.25-4.11 in T. tahoei ), and by having indistinct hind coxal margins (distinct in T. tahoei ).

Description.

Female (Figure 221) (n = 2) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (680-695 (695) long; 540-540 (540) wide) circular with purple coloration, excepting platelets. Anterio-medial platelets (152.5-160 (160) long; 65-65 (65) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (207.5-222.5 (222.5) long; 80-83.75 (83.75) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 405-420 (420)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.26-1.29 (1.29); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.29-1.33 (1.29); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.35-2.46 (2.46); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.59-2.66 (2.66); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.36-1.39 (1.39).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (400-410 (410) long (ventral); 295-307.5 (307.5) long (dorsal); 160-170 (170) tall) colorless. Rostrum (155-165 (165) long; 52.5-55 (55) wide). Chelicerae (410-420 (420) long) with curved fangs (70-75 (70) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.41-2.50 (2.41); rostrum length/width 2.95-3.00 (3.00). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and tuberculate ventral extensions with dentate tip on genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (45-47.5 (45) long); femur (132.5-132.5 (132.5) long); genu (80-85 (85) long); tibia (90-93.75 (93.75) long; 30-30 (30) wide); tarsus (17.5-17.5 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.56-1.66 (1.56); tibia/femur 0.68-0.71 (0.71); tibia length/width 3.00-3.13 (3.13).

Venter - (860-860 (860) long; 630-630 (630) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (197.5-205 (205) long; 75-80 (75) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (30-40 (30) long). Genital plates (225-232.5 (232.5) long; 205-205 (205) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (340-350 (350) long (total); 140-145 (145) long (medial)); Cx-3 (395-405 (405) wide); anterior venter 200-200 (200) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.47-2.73 (2.73); anterior venter/genital field length 0.86-0.89 (0.86); anterior venter length/genital field width 0.98-0.98 (0.98); anterior venter/medial suture 5.00-6.67 (6.67).

Male (Figure 222) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (580-640 (630) long; 465-520 (490) wide) circular with purple coloration, excepting platelets. Anterio-medial platelets (127.5-145 (140) long; 55-67.5 (67.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (177.5-217.5 (203.75) long; 72.5-85 (82.5) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 375-420 (400)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.23-1.29 (1.29); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.23-1.27 (1.23); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.07-2.32 (2.07); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.44-2.64 (2.47); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.39-1.50 (1.46).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (355-375 (365) long (ventral); 255-280 (270) long (dorsal); 132.5-150 (145) tall) colorless. Rostrum (140-150 (145) long; 45-55 (55) wide). Chelicerae (350-375 (365) long) with curved fangs (65-70 (67.5) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.50-2.68 (2.52); rostrum length/width 2.64-3.16 (2.64). Pedipalps with tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and tuberculate ventral extensions with dentate tip on genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (41.25-50 (45) long); femur (113.75-125 (125) long); genu (72.5-82.5 (80) long); tibia (82.5-92.5 (92.5) long; 23.75-27.5 (27.5) wide); tarsus (17.5-17.5 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.48-1.57 (1.56); tibia/femur 0.71-0.74 (0.74); tibia length/width 3.36-3.50 (3.36).

Venter - (730-780 (770) long; 535-640 (640) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (160-185 (160) long; 72.5-92.5 (92.5) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (75-90 (90) long). Genital plates (185-190 (185) long; 145-155 (152.5) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (305-340 (320) long (total); 135-160 (160) long (medial)); Cx-3 (350-410 (410) wide); anterior venter 237.5-265 (265) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.73-2.55 (1.73); anterior venter/genital field length 1.28-1.43 (1.43); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.62-1.74 (1.74); anterior venter/medial suture 2.64-3.47 (2.94).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( regalis ) refers to the coloration of this species, which is nearly colorless except the purple dorsum, giving the appearance of a mite wearing a purple cape, such as those often depicted as worn by royalty ( rēgālis, L. royal).

Distribution.

Known only from Curry County, Oregon (Figure 220).

Remarks.

Torrenticola regalis groups with other members of the Miniforma Complex with high support and is greater than 17% different from other species in the Ellipsoidalis Identification Group. This species is represented by a single specimen that does not resemble any other species group. This species hypothesis is supported by phylogenetic affinity, high divergence between species (3-15%), and by the morphological characters outlined in the diagnosis.