Torrenticola copipalpa 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 copipalpa Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, Oregon, Lane County, Gate Creek (44°8'48"N, 122°34'20"W), 11 Aug 2013, by JC O’Neill, & WA Nelson, JNOW 13-0811-001.

PARATYPES (20 ♀; 26 ♂): California, USA: 1 ♀ from Alpine County, Markleeville Creek (38°41'39"N, 119°46'41"W), 30 Aug 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF 13-0830-001 • 1 ♀ from Del Norte County, Six Rivers National Forest, Middle Fork Smith River (41°51'20"N, 123°53'10"W), 15 Aug 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF 13-0815-002 • 5 ♂ from El Dorado County, El Dorado National Forest, Taylor Creek (38°55'59"N, 120°3'21"W), 27 Aug 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF 13-0827-003 • 1 ♀ from Mendocino County, Cottaneva Creek, beside Route 1, 21.8 kilometers southwest of Route 101, 5 Aug 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870129A • 2 ♂ from Trinity County, small cascading trickle beside Route 36, 5.2 kilometers west of Forest Glen Station, 6 Aug 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870132 • 1 ♂ from Trinity County, South Fork of Trinity River, beside Route 36 at Forest Glen campground, 6 Aug 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870131 • Oregon, USA: 2 ♂ from Coos County, Gaylord, Coquille Myrtle Grove State Park, Coquille River, 2 Jul 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830014 • 3 ♀ and 3 ♂ from Coos County, Siskiyou National Forest, Road 33 between Powers & Agness, Coal Creek, 2 Jul 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830015 • 2 ♂ from Coos County, Siskiyou National Forest, Road 33 between Powers & Agness, Daphne Grove campground, Coquille River, 2 Jul 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830016 • 1 ♂ from Coos County, Siskiyou National Forest, Road 33 between Powers & Agness, Daphne Grove campground, 2 Jul 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830017 • 1 ♀ and 1 ♂ from Curry County, Port Orford, Butler Bar campground, Elk River, 25 Jun 1976, by IM Smith, IMS760162 • 1 ♀ from Curry County, Port Orford, Butler Bar campground, Elk River, 25-26 Jun 1976, by IM Smith, IMS760163 • 2 ♂ from Curry County, Port Orford, small spring run beside road from Humbug Mountain State Park to McGribble campground, 25 Jun 1976, by IM Smith, IMS760161 • 3 ♂ from Curry County, Port Orford, Humbug Mountain State Park Picnic Area, beside Route 1, Brush Creek, 1 Jul 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830012 • 1 ♀ from Curry County, Port Orford, Humbug Mountain State Park Picnic Area, beside Route 1, Brush Creek, 3 Jul 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830020A • 2 ♀ from Curry County, Quosatana Creek (42°29'21"N, 124°14'2"W), 14 Aug 2013, JR Fisher, JRF 13-0814-003 • 1 ♀ from Curry County, Rogue River National Forest, Elk River (42°42'46"N, 124°18'41"W), 13 Aug 2013, by JR Fisher, JRF 13-0813-003 • 4 ♀ and 3 ♂ from Curry County, Sixes, Sixes River, beside road at mouth of Edson Creek, 4 Jul 1983, by IM Smith, IMS830021A • 1 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Lane County, Gate Creek (44°8'48"N, 122°34'20"W), 11 Aug 2013, by JC O’Neill, & WA Nelson, JNOW 13-0811-001 • 4 ♀ from Lane County, Gate Creek (44°8'48"N, 122°34'20"W), 11 Aug 2013, by JC O’Neill, & WA Nelson, JNOW 13-0811-001.

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀), allotype (♂), and other paratypes (15 ♀; 20 ♂) deposited in the CNC; other paratypes (5 ♀; 5 ♂) deposited in ACUA.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola copipalpa are similar to members of the Miniforma group ( T. manni , T. miniforma , T. oliveri , T. pacificensis , T. pinocchio , and T. rockyensis ) in having short, stocky pedipalps (except T. oliveri and T. pinocchio ); similar pedipalpal extensions (unique to members of this group); and being among the smallest Torrenticola in the west (dorsum 500-625 long) (except T. oliveri ). T. copipalpa are best differentiated from all other Miniforma group (except T. pinocchio ) by having broad, flat pedipalp femoral tubercles (conical/tuberculate in all others). T. copipalpa can be differentiated from T. pinocchio by having a less elongate rostrum (length/width = 2.5-3.0 in T. copipalpa , 4.5-4.9 in T. pinocchio ) and less elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width = 2.4-2.9 in T. copipalpa , 3.1-3.5 in T. pinocchio ).

Description.

Female (Figure 42) (n = 6) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (555-605 (605) long; 380-420 (420) wide) ovoid and usually colorless, occasionally with faint purple coloration without distinct pattern. Anterio-medial platelets (115-127.5 (127.5) long; 47.5-57.5 (57.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (162.5-180 (180) long; 53.75-62.5 (62.5) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 290-335 (335)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.39-1.47 (1.44); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.25-1.32 (1.25); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.13-2.42 (2.22); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.87-3.04 (2.88); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.35-1.46 (1.41).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (312.5-337.5 (337.5) long (ventral); 228-257.5 (257.5) long (dorsal); 117.5-130 (125) tall) colorless. Rostrum (122.5-135 (130) long; 42.5-47.5 (45) wide). Chelicerae (313-341 (340) long) with curved fangs (50-59 (55) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.58-2.70 (2.70); rostrum length/width 2.72-2.94 (2.89). Pedipalps short and stocky (especially tibiae) with broad, dentate, and anteriorly-directed ventral extensions on femora and dentate, flanged ventral extensions on genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (30-35 (35) long); femur (90-100 (97.5) long); genu (62.5-67.5 (67.5) long); tibia (52.5-58.75 (57.5) long; 20-22.5 (21.25) wide); tarsus (15-17.5 (15) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.44-1.51 (1.41); tibia/femur 0.55-0.61 (0.59); tibia length/width 2.59-2.71 (2.71).

Venter - (690-760 (760) long; 438-520 (520) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (136.25-152.5 (152.5) long; 75-82.5 (80) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (40-45 (45) long). Genital plates (152.5-165 (165) long; 137.5-160 (160) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (261-290 (290) long (total); 108-155 (155) long (medial)); Cx-3 (268-320 (320) wide); anterior venter (187.5-210 (210) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.65-1.97 (1.91); anterior venter/genital field length 1.19-1.28 (1.27); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.31-1.40 (1.31); anterior venter/medial suture 4.53-4.88 (4.67).

Male (Figure 43) (n = 6) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (500-570 (520) long; 355-390 (360) wide) ovoid and usually colorless, occasionally with faint purple coloration without distinct pattern. Anterio-medial platelets (105-117.5 (105) long; 45-56.25 (45) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (155-167.5 (155) long; 50-60 (50) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the edge of the dorsum than to the muscle scars (distance between Dgl-4 285-315 (290)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.39-1.54 (1.44); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.18-1.37 (1.24); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.09-2.37 (2.33); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.79-3.10 (3.10); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.32-1.48 (1.48).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (280-307.5 (295) long (ventral); 215-253 (220) long (dorsal); 105-115 (105) tall) colorless. Rostrum (110-120 (115) long; 40-46.25 (40) wide). Chelicerae (280-328 (295) long) with curved fangs (45-65 (55) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.67-2.81 (2.81); rostrum length/width 2.54-2.88 (2.88). Pedipalps short and stocky (especially tibiae) with broad, dentate, and anteriorly-directed ventral extensions on femora and dentate, flanged ventral extensions on genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (32.5-32.5 (32.5) long); femur (82.5-92.5 (87.5) long); genu (57.5-65 (60) long); tibia (52.5-57.5 (52.5) long; 18.75-21.25 (21.25) wide); tarsus (15-17.5 (15) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.35-1.54 (1.46); tibia/femur 0.60-0.64 (0.60); tibia length/width 2.47-2.88 (2.47).

Venter - (610-700 (670) long; 420-496 (440) wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (110-140 (130) long; 67.5-75 (75) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (77.5-97.5 (77.5) long). Genital plates (130-137.5 (130) long; 100-112.5 (105) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (235-263 (245) long (total); 115-130 (130) long (medial)); Cx-3 (270-300 (280) wide); anterior venter (210-232.5 (217.5) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.63-1.87 (1.73); anterior venter/genital field length 1.62-1.77 (1.67); anterior venter length/genital field width 2.04-2.21 (2.07); anterior venter/medial suture 2.36-2.88 (2.81).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( copipalpa ) refers to the blade-like pedipalp femoral tubercles (copis, L. small knife; palpus, L. hand, feeler), which distinguish them from similar, co-occurring species.

Distribution.

Northern California and western Oregon (Figure 41).

Remarks.

Torrenticola copipalpa groups with other members of the Miniforma Complex with high support and specimens of this species are less than 1% different in COI sequence from each other. In all analyses, T. copipalpa groups with three other morphologically similar species: T. pacificensis , T. manni , and T. rockyensis . These three species are greater than 4% different from each other. This species overlaps with T. miniforma in California and with T. pacificensis in west-central Oregon.

Based upon overall similarity, the pedipalp genu extensions, and western distribution, we were able to place this species in the Miniforma Identification Group.

This species hypothesis is supported by biogeography, low COI divergence within the species (0-2%) and high divergence between species (3-15%), and by the morphological characters outlined in the diagnosis.