Torrenticola arktonyx 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 arktonyx Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): USA, North Carolina, Macon County, Rainbow Springs; beside Forest Route 67, 2.0 km south of road to Standing Indian Campground, (35°3'3"N, 83°31'31"W), 1 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900072

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 5 ♂): Georgia, USA: 1 ♀ from White County, Helen; beside Road to Anna Ruby Falls just north of Unicoi State Park, (34°44'44"N, 83°43'43"W), 24 September 1992, by IM Smith, IMS920051 • North Carolina, USA: 1 ♀ from Haywood County, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Big Creek downstream of the bridge at picnic area, (35°45'45"N, 83°6'6"W), 15 September 2009, by AJ Radwell, AJR090008A • 1 ♀ and 2 ♂ from Haywood County, Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Cataloochee; beside Mt. Sterling Rd. near bridge 1.7 km n. of road to Campground, (35°38'38"N, 83°4'4"W), 6 September 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090099 • 2 ♂ from Macon County, Rainbow Springs; beside Forest Route 67, 2.0 km south of road to Standing Indian Campground, (35°3'3"N, 83°31'31"W), 20 September 1991, by IM Smith, IMS910054 • 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Macon County, Rainbow Springs; beside Forest Route 67, 2.0 km south of road to Standing Indian Campground, (35°3'3"N, 83°31'31"W), 1 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900072 • Tennessee, USA: 1 ♀ from Blount County, Middle Prong of the Little River at Tremont, (35°38'38"N, 83°41'41"W), 16 September 2009, by AJ Radwell, AJR090009

Type deposition.

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

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola arktonyx are similar to species with similar dorsal patterning, such as the Rusetria “4-Plate” group ( T. dunni , T. glomerabilis , T. kittatinniana , T. pollani , T. rufoalba , and T. shubini ), Elongata Group ( T. elongata , T. gorti , and T. reduncarostra ), Neoanomala Group ( T. interiorensis and T. neoanomala ), and T. erectirostra , T. robisoni , T. irapalpa , T. racupalpa , T. skvarlai , and T. bondi . Torrenticola arktonyx can be differentiated from all other Torrenticola by having distinctive longitudinal dark markings on the anterior portion of the dorsal plate that fade posteriorly.

Description.

Female (Figure 22) (n = 4) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (645-680 (670) long; 480-520 (510) wide) ovoid with purple coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions with faint orange medially, also with distinctive longitudinal dark markings on the anterior portion of the dorsal plate that fade posteriorly. Anterio-medial platelets (137.5-145 (137.5) long; 65-70 (65) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (200-207.5 (200) long; 80-90 (80) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 335-375 (375)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.29-1.34 (1.31); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.36-1.43 (1.36); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.07-2.23 (2.12); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.31-2.56 (2.50); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.38-1.48 (1.45).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (345-362.5 (355) long (ventral); 260-270 (265) long (dorsal); 117.5-120 (117.5) tall) with purple coloration. Rostrum (135-135 (135) long; 45-47.5 (45) wide). Chelicerae (335-350 (350) long) with curved fangs (45-55 (45) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.88-3.09 (3.02); rostrum length/width 2.84-3.00 (3.00). Pedipalps with dentate, flanged ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (40-42.5 (41.25) long); femur (107.5-111.25 (111.25) long); genu (75-80 (77.5) long); tibia (92.5-95 (95) long; 25-27.5 (25) wide); tarsus (25-25 (25) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.38-1.44 (1.44); tibia/femur 0.85-0.86 (0.85); tibia length/width 3.36-3.80 (3.80).

Venter - (815-840 (815) long; 510-600 (600) wide) with purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (137.5-155 (137.5) long; 82.5-92.5 (92.5) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (50-60 (50) long). Genital plates (180-187.5 (180) long; 155-162.5 (155) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (300-310 (300) long (total); 150-165 (165) long (medial)); Cx-3 (350-385 (385) wide); anterior venter (230-232.5 (230) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.49-1.82 (1.49); anterior venter/genital field length 1.24-1.28 (1.28); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.42-1.48 (1.48); anterior venter/medial suture 3.83-4.60 (4.60).

Male (Figure 23) (n = 5) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (500-570 (570) long; 400-450 (450) wide) ovoid with purple coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions with faint orange medially, also with distinctive longitudinal dark markings on the anterior portion of the dorsal plate that fade posteriorly. Anterio-medial platelets (110-125 (125) long; 55-62.5 (62.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (155-180 (180) long; 65-75 (75) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 305-345 (345)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.23-1.35 (1.27); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.30-1.35 (1.30); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.00-2.18 (2.00); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.21-2.69 (2.40); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.41-1.59 (1.44).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (275-300 (300) long (ventral); 210-235 (235) long (dorsal); 92.5-102.5 (102.5) tall) with purple coloration. Rostrum (110-125 (125) long; 35-40 (40) wide). Chelicerae (270-305 (305) long) with curved fangs (40-45 (40) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.75-3.08 (2.93); rostrum length/width 3.00-3.20 (3.13). Pedipalps with dentate, flanged ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (32.5-37.5 (35) long); femur (85-97.5 (97.5) long); genu (60-68.75 (65) long); tibia (75-85 (85) long; 22.5-26.25 (25) wide); tarsus (21.25-25 (22.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.42-1.50 (1.50); tibia/femur 0.81-0.91 (0.87); tibia length/width 3.10-3.40 (3.40).

Venter - (650-725 (725) long; 430-490 (490) wide) with purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (125-135 (135) long; 65-72.5 (72.5) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (75-90 (80) long). Genital plates (160-172.5 (172.5) long; 117.5-130 (130) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (250-290 (290) long (total); 130-150 (145) long (medial)); Cx-3 (295-350 (350) wide); anterior venter (220-260 (260) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.85-2.08 (1.86); anterior venter/genital field length 1.38-1.55 (1.51); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.87-2.17 (2.00); anterior venter/medial suture 2.72-3.25 (3.25).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( arktonyx ) refers to the distinctive longitudinal markings on the anterior dorsal plate, which resemble claw marks from a bear ( árktos, G. bear; ónyx, G. claw).

Distribution.

Southern Appalachians (Figure 21).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola arktonyx and therefore this species is not included in our phylogenetic analyses. We were able to examine material preserved in GAW for morphology, but due its unique characteristics, we are unable to place this species into either a species complex or identification group. However, based upon coloration, distribution, and gnathosomal shape, we speculate that future analyses will place this species in the Raptor Complex.