Torrenticola racupalpa 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 racupalpa Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♀): from USA, Tennessee, Wayne County, Glenrock Branch Creek (35°15'50"N, 87°37'34"W), 24 Sep 2009, by IM Smith, IMS090124, DNA 1867.

PARATYPES (4 ♀; 2 ♂): Virginia, USA: 4 ♀ and 2 ♂ (ALLOTYPE) from Smyth County, Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Little Laurel Creek, beside Route 600, 2.2 kilometers north of Route 603, 10 Jul 1990, by IM Smith, IMS900086.

Type deposition.

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

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola racupalpa are similar to other members of the Raptor Group ( T. gnoma , T. irapalpa , T. longitibia , T. mjolniri , T. elusiva , T. raptor , T. danielleae , T. daemon , and T. ivyae ) in having round bodies; Dgl-4 close to muscles scars; long, thin subcapitular rostra; and long, thin pedipalp tibiae. Female T. racupalpa can be differentiated from T. elusiva by having a more elongate subcapitulum (ventral length/height = 2.48-2.73 in T. racupalpa , 2.39 in T. elusiva ); and by dorsal pattern. T. racupalpa can be differentiated from T. irapalpa and T. daemon by having Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars (dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 = 2.19-2.77 in T. racupalpa , 1.45-2.09 in others) and a more elongate rostrum (length/width = 3.56-3.88 in T. racupalpa , 2.66-3.39 in others). T. racupalpa can be differentiated from T. gnoma by having a more elongate rostrum (length/width = 3.56-3.88 in T. racupalpa , 2.56-3.13 in T. gnoma ) and dorsal coloration and pattern. T. racupalpa can be differentiated from T. mjolniri by having a shorter anterior venter (♀ =152.5-165 in T. racupalpa , 180-195 in T. mjolniri ; ♂ = 200-205 in T. racupalpa , 230-255 in T. mjolniri ); and by dorsal pattern. Male T. racupalpa can be differentiated from T. longitibia (males only) by having a shorter femur with respect to the genu (femur/genu = 1.92-1.92 in T. racupalpa , 2.10-2.17 in T. longitibia ); a stockier rostrum (length/width = 3.88-3.88 in T. racupalpa , 4.15-4.23 in T. longitibia ); and dorsal pattern. T. racupalpa can be differentiated from T. raptor by having Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars (dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 = 2.19-2.77 in T. racupalpa , 1.68-2.02 in T. raptor ); and shorter anterior venter (♀ = 152.5-165 in T. racupalpa , 205-240 in T. raptor , ♂ = 200-205 in T. racupalpa , 245-305 in T. raptor ). Female T. racupalpa can be differentiated from female T. raptor by having stockier pedipalp tibiae (length/width = 4.44-5.00 in T. racupalpa , 6-7.54 in T. raptor ). T. racupalpa can be differentiated from T. danielleae by having Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars (dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 = 2.19-2.77 in T. racupalpa , 1.42-1.70 in T. danielleae ) and by dorsal coloration and pattern. Female T. racupalpa can be differentiated from female T. ivyae by having a less elongate rostrum (length/width = 3.56-3.82 in T. racupalpa , 4.00-4.15 in T. ivyae ) and less elongate pedipalpal tibiae (length/width = 4.44-5.00 in T. racupalpa , 5.07-5.64 in T. ivyae ). Male T. racupalpa can be differentiated from male T. ivyae by having a shorter anterior venter (♂ 200-205 in T. racupalpa , 220-230 in T. ivyae ) and a longer genital field (♂ 160-165 in T. racupalpa , 142-148 in T. ivyae ).

Type deposition.

Holotype (♀) deposited in the CNC.

Description.

Female (Figure 206) (n = 3) (holotype measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (570-630 (570) long; 450-540 (450) wide) ovoid with bluish-purple coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions with bold orange medially. Anterio-medial platelets (130-145 (130) long; 52.5-65 (52.5) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (157.5-200 (157.5) long; 71.25-75 (71.25) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the muscle scars than to dorsum edge (distance between Dgl-4 170-205 (170)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.17-1.27 (1.27); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 2.59-2.77 (2.65); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.19-2.48 (2.48); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.21-2.67 (2.21); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.21-1.40 (1.21).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (330-375 (330) long (ventral); 251-297.5 (252) long (dorsal); 130-145 (130) tall) faint bluish-purple coloration. Rostrum (142.5-170 (142.5) long; 40-45 (40) wide) elongate. Chelicerae (319-375 (320) long) with curved fangs (50-60 (50) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.48-2.73 (2.54); rostrum length/width 3.56-3.82 (3.56). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibia) with long tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (45-45 (45) long); femur (125-145 (125) long); genu (67.5-75 (67.5) long); tibia (100-125 (100) long; 22.5-25 (22.5) wide); tarsus (17.5-20 (17.5) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.85-1.93 (1.85); tibia/femur 0.80-0.86 (0.80); tibia length/width 4.44-5.00 (4.44).

Venter - (700-800 (700) long; 490-610 (491) wide) with bold bluish-purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (152.5-185 (152.5) long; 80-87.5 (87.5) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (17.5-20 (17.5) long). Genital plates (152.5-185 (152.5) long; 140-170 (140) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (285-320 (286) long (total); 114-140 (115) long (medial)); Cx-3 (332-380 (332) wide); anterior venter (152.5-165 (152.5) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.74-2.31 (1.74); anterior venter/genital field length 0.89-1.00 (1.00); anterior venter length/genital field width 0.97-1.09 (1.09); anterior venter/medial suture 8.00-8.71 (8.71).

Male (Figure 207) (n = 2) (allotypic measurements in parentheses when available) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (555-570 (570) long; 460-475 (475) wide) ovoid with bluish-purple coloration separated into anterior and posterior portions with bold orange medially. Anterio-medial platelets (130-135 (135) long; 57.5-65 (65) wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (182.5-190 (190) long; 70-80 (80) wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 much closer to the muscle scars than to dorsum edge (distance between Dgl-4 200-210 (200)). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.20-1.21 (1.20); dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 2.19-2.38 (2.38); anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.08-2.26 (2.08); anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.38-2.61 (2.38); anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.40-1.41 (1.41).

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (315-317.5 (317.5) long (ventral); 250-250 (250) long (dorsal); 110-115 (115) tall) faint bluish-purple coloration. Rostrum (155-155 (155) long; 40-40 (40) wide) elongate. Chelicerae (295-310 (310) long) with curved fangs (50-55 (50) long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.76-2.86 (2.76); rostrum length/width 3.88-3.88 (3.88). Pedipalps elongate (especially tibia) with long tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (40-40 (40) long); femur (125-125 (125) long); genu (65-65 (65) long); tibia (107.5-110 (107.5) long; 20-20 (20) wide); tarsus (15-15 (15) long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.92-1.92 (1.92); tibia/femur 0.86-0.88 (0.86); tibia length/width 5.38-5.50 (5.38).

Venter - (695-710 (710) long; 500-505 (500) wide) with bold bluish-purple coloration. Gnathosomal bay (157.5-160 (157.5) long; 70-70 (70) wide). Cxgl-4 subapical. Medial suture (45-45 (45) long). Genital plates (160-165 (165) long; 125-125 (125) wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (300-305 (300) long (total); 145-145 (145) long (medial)); Cx-3 (340-345 (340) wide); anterior venter (200-205 (205) long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 2.25-2.29 (2.25); anterior venter/genital field length 1.24-1.25 (1.24); anterior venter length/genital field width 1.60-1.64 (1.64); anterior venter/medial suture 4.44-4.56 (4.56).

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( racupalpa ) refers to the spined, rake-like pedipalps which have long, thin tibiae and elongate tubercles (racu, Old English feminine, rake; palpus, L. hand, feeler).

Distribution.

Southeastern, Tennessee and Virginia (Figure 205).

Remarks.

In the COI analysis, Torrenticola racupalpa groups with other members of the Raptor Complex with high support. We were only able to acquire molecular data from one specimen, and we were unable to amplify 28S, which disabled us from examining the placement of this species in our combined analysis. In the COI analysis, T. racupalpa groups with T. elusiva with high confidence, and these species are greater than 4% different in COI sequence from each other. Based upon this information as well as morphology, we place this species in Raptor Identification Group.

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