Torrenticola danielleae 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 danielleae Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, Georgia, Floyd County, The Pocket Campground beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow, (34°35'35"N, 85°5'5"W), 2 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900073A.

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 5 ♂): Georgia, USA: 2 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Chattooga County, beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow 1.8 km south of The Pocket Recreation Area, (34°34'34"N, 80°5'5"W), 4 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900076 • 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Floyd County, The Pocket Campground beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow, (34°35'35"N, 85°5'5"W), 2 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900073A • 2 ♀ and 3 ♂ from Floyd County, The Pocket Campground beside road from Everett Springs to Villanow, (34°35'35"N, 85°5'5"W), 2 July 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900073A

Type deposition.

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

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola danielleae are similar to other members of the Raptor Group ( T. daemon , T. elusiva , T. gnoma , T. irapalpa , T. ivyae , T. longitibia , T. mjolniri , T. racupalpa , and T. raptor ) in having round bodies; Dgl-4 close to muscles scars; long, thin subcapitular rostra; and long, thin pedipalp tibiae. T. danielleae can be differentiated from all other Raptor Group by having Dgl-4 closer to the edge of the dorsum (dorsum width/distance between Dgl-4 ♀ = 1.57-1.70 in T. danielleae , 1.80-3.29 in others; ♂ = 1.42-1.52 in T. danielleae , 1.58-2.73 in others), except T. daemon (♀ = 1.59-1.67 ♂ = 1.45-1.65). T. danielleae can be differentiated from T. daemon by having a more elongate rostrum (length/width = 3.43-3.75 in T. danielleae , 2.91-3.31 in T. daemon ) and dorsal pattern.

Description.

Female (Figure 48) (n = 5) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (635-680 (635) long; 510-545 (510) wide) circular with reddish-purple coloration posteriorly extending in a strip anteriorly to the edge of the dorsal plate. Anterio-medial platelets (135-155 (147.5) long; 55-65 (62.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (170-195 (180) long; 70-80 (80) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 approximately halfway between the edge of the dorsum and the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 320-335 (320)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.20-1.30 (1.25); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.57-1.7 (1.59); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.25-2.73 (2.36); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.25-2.79 (2.25); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.15-1.44 (1.22).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (340-370 (365) long (ventral); 260-280 (270) long (dorsal); 135-145 (145) tall) colorless. Rostrum (150-160 (155) long; 40-45 (42.5) wide). Chelicerae (350-380 (380) long) with curved fangs (50-62.5 (62.5) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.52-2.65 (2.52); rostrum length/width 3.44-3.75 (3.65). Pedipalps with long, tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (40-45 (42.5) long); femur (127.5-141.25 (137.5) long); genu (67.5-75 (75) long); tibia (92.5-107.5 (102.5) long; 20-22.5 (21.25) wide); tarsus (17.5-20 (20) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.77-1.89 (1.83); tibia/femur 0.73-0.76 (0.75); tibia length/width 4.63-5.00 (4.82).

Venter - (780-835 (780) long; 560-610 (560) wide) with reddish-purple coloration, occasionally faint. Gnathosomal bay (170-185 (185) long; 75-85 (80) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (25-27.5 (27.5) long). Genital plates (165-185 (185) long; 155-160 (160) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (300-340 (315) long (total); 135-155 (135) long (medial)); Cx-3 (345-360 (355) wide); anterior venter (170-195 (185) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.00-2.31 (2.31); anterior venter/genital field length 1.00-1.12 (1.00); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.10-1.24 (1.16); anterior venter/medial suture 6.73-7.80 (6.73).

Male (Figure 49) (n = 5) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (490-530 (510) long; 370-385 (370) wide) circular with reddish-purple coloration posteriorly extending in a strip anteriorly to the edge of the dorsal plate. Anterio-medial platelets (115-125 (120) long; 45-52.5 (52.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (150-175 (150) long; 57.5-65 (65) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 approximately halfway between the edge of the dorsum and the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 250-265 (260)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.27-1.39 (1.38); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.42-1.52 (1.42); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.29-2.72 (2.29); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.31-2.92 (2.31); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.25-1.43 (1.25).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (285-295 (290) long (ventral); 210-220 (215) long (dorsal); 100-105 (105) tall) colorless. Rostrum (120-125 (120) long; 35-35 (35) wide). Chelicerae (270-300 (280) long) with curved fangs (40-50 (50) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.74-2.85 (2.76); rostrum length/width 3.43-3.57 (3.43). Pedipalps with long, tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (33.75-37.5 (36.25) long); femur (100-110 (107.5) long); genu (60-62.5 (62.5) long); tibia (80-82.5 (82.5) long; 20-20 (20) wide); tarsus (17.5-20 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.67-1.79 (1.72); tibia/femur 0.74-0.83 (0.77); tibia length/width 4.00-4.13 (4.13).

Venter - (620-670 (650) long; 410-430 (420) wide) with reddish-purple coloration, occasionally faint. Gnathosomal bay (135-145 (142.5) long; 62.5-70 (67.5) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (60-65 (60) long). Genital plates (132.5-145 (140) long; 102.5-107.5 (105) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (260-280 (280) long (total); 125-135 (135) long (medial)); Cx-3 (290-310 (310) wide); anterior venter (205-220 (205) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.07-2.23 (2.11); anterior venter/genital field length 1.46-1.57 (1.46); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.91-2.05 (1.95); anterior venter/medial suture 3.15-3.52 (3.42).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( danielleae ) named in honor of Danielle Fisher-lab technician, environmental educator, colleague, friend, wife (of JRF), and mother of Ivy, our beautiful daughter-for her tireless and immense contributions to this research, and for bettering the lives of all those around her. Thank you, Danielle.

Distribution.

Southern Appalachians, northeastern Georgia (Figure 47).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola danielleae and therefore this species is not included in our phylogenetic analyses. However, we were able to examine morphology with material preserved in GAW. The overall appearance, elongate subcapitular rostra, and elongate pedipalpal tibiae, are consistent with placing this species in the Raptor Complex and the Raptor Identification Group.