Torrenticola keesdavidsi Cramer, 1992

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 keesdavidsi Cramer, 1992

Torrenticola keesdavidsi Cramer, 1992: 17.

Material examined

(6 ♀; 10 ♂). Arizona, USA: 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Cochise County, Chiricahua Mountains; beside Forest Road 42 near junction with Forest Road 42B, (31°55'55"N, 109°15'15"W), 16 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870093A • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Cochise County, Chiricahua Mountains; Sycamore Campground east of Sunizona, (31°52'52"N, 109°20'20"W), 15 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870091 • 3 ♂ from Cochise County, Chiricahua Mountains; Cave Creek Recreation Area; John Hands Picnic Area off Forest Road 42A west of Portal, (31°53'53"N, 109°13'13"W), 15 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870092A • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Coconino County, Oak Creek Canyon; beside Rt. 89A just north of Pine Flat Campground, (35°1'1"N, 111°44'44"W), 21 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870099A • 1 ♀ from Coconino County, Oak Creek Canyon; beside Rt. 89A between Bootlegger and Banjo Bill Campgrounds, (34°58'58"N, 111°45'45"W), 21 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870100B • 1 ♂ from Coconino County, Oak Creek Canyon; beside Rt. 89A just north of Pine Flat Campground, (35°1'1"N, 111°44'44"W), 21 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870099B • New Mexico, USA: 2 ♀ from Catron County, Glenwood; Whitewater Picnic Area 8 km east of Rt. 180, (33°22'22"N, 108°50'50"W), 12 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870084 • 2 ♂ from Catron County, beside Rt. 15, 65 km north of Rt. 180 (Silver City), (33°12'12"N, 108°13'13"W), 10 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870081A • 1 ♂ from Catron County, beside Rt. 15, 65 km north of Rt. 180 (Silver City), (33°12'12"N, 108°13'13"W), 10 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870081B.

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀) and allotype (♂) deposited in coll. Cristina Cramer, Instituto de Biología, UNAM.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola keesdavidsi are similar to other members of the Rala Group ( T. rala , T. lamellipalpis , T. boettgeri , T. kurtvietsi , T. dolichodactyla , and T. anoplopalpa ) by being colorless, having incomplete hind coxal margins and being distributed in the southwest. T. keesdavidsi can be differentiated from all other Rala Group by having a shorter dorsum (length ♀ = 555-605 in T. keesdavidsi , 630-800 in others; ♂ = 500-590 in T. keesdavidsi , 600-780 in others) and dentate, flanged ventral extensions on the femora (others are lacking extensions, have tuberculate extensions, or flat, wide lamellate extensions). Additionally, T. keesdavidsi can be differentiated from all other Rala Group by having more elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width = 4.50-5.20 in T. keesdavidsi , 1.75-3.38 in others), except T. lamellipalpis (4.32-4.94).

Re-description.

Female (Figure 112) (n = 5) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (555-605 long; 450-495 wide) circular and colorless. Anterio-medial platelets (135-137.5 long; 50-60 wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (180-192.5 long; 70-80 wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 315-335). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.21-1.31; dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.41-1.48; anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.25-2.70; anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.38-2.75; anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.33-1.43.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (312.5-327.5 long (ventral); 222.5-240 long (dorsal); 97.5-105 tall) colorless. Rostrum (120-130 long; 35-37.5 wide). Chelicerae (295-310 long) with curved fangs (45-50 long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 3.07-3.21; rostrum length/width 3.33-3.57. Pedipalps with dentate, flanged ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (35-37.5 long); femur (105-110 long); genu (55-57.5 long); tibia (90-95 long; 18.75-20 wide); tarsus (15-17.5 long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.91-2.00; tibia/femur 0.84-0.88; tibia length/width 4.50-4.93.

Venter - (695-755 long; 510-560 wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (145-150 long; 67.5-80 wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (35-55 long). Genital plates (162.5-175 long; 152.5-160 wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (285-295 long (total); 140-150 long (medial)); Cx-3 (320-330 wide); anterior venter (192.5-222.5 long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.88-2.19; anterior venter/genital field length 1.18-1.29; anterior venter length/genital field width 1.26-1.44; anterior venter/medial suture 4.05-5.50.

Male (Figure 113) (n = 5) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (500-590 long; 410-450 wide) circular and colorless. Anterio-medial platelets (120-130 long; 55-60 wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (165-190 long; 65-75 wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 280-320). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.21-1.33; dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.40-1.48; anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.09-2.27; anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.33-2.71; anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.32-1.48.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (280-310 long (ventral); 202.5-230 long (dorsal); 85-105 tall) colorless. Rostrum (107.5-125 long; 32.5-35 wide). Chelicerae (260-297.5 long) with curved fangs (40-50 long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.81-3.29; rostrum length/width 3.29-3.57. Pedipalps with dentate, flanged ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (32.5-35 long); femur (97.5-110 long); genu (50-56.25 long); tibia (87.5-97.5 long; 17.5-20 wide); tarsus (15-17.5 long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.84-1.96; tibia/femur 0.86-0.95; tibia length/width 4.81-5.20.

Venter - (630-720 long; 460-510 wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (130-152.5 long; 60-75 wide). Cxgl-4 far from apex. Medial suture (80-95 long). Genital plates (140-155 long; 115-125 wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (260-280 long (total); 130-150 long (medial)); Cx-3 (280-340 wide); anterior venter (225-260 long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.93-2.17; anterior venter/genital field length 1.55-1.86; anterior venter length/genital field width 1.96-2.17; anterior venter/medial suture 2.61-2.89.

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Cramer (1992) named this species in honor of Kees Davids "as an acknowledgement of his great contributions to acarology and aquatic ecology" (translated from Spanish).

Distribution.

Southwest (Arizona and New Mexico), extending southward into Mexico (Figure 111).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola keesdavidsi and therefore this species is not included in our phylogenetic analyses. We were also unable to examine type material. However, we were able to examine new material from Arizona and New Mexico that fits well within the species hypothesis proposed by Cramer (1992). The overall appearance, incomplete hind coxal margins, distribution, and lack of color place this species in the Rala Group.