Torrenticola dolichodactyla 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 dolichodactyla Fisher & Dowling sp. n.

Material examined.

HOLOTYPE (♂): from USA, New Mexico, Catron County, Cottonwood Campground beside Rt. 180 south of Rt. 12, (33°37'37"N, 108°54'54"W), 12 July 1987, by IM Smith, IMS870086.

PARATYPES (0 ♀; 0 ♂):

Type deposition.

Holotype (♂) deposited in the CNC.

Diagnosis.

Torrenticola dolichodactyla are similar to other members of the Rala Group ( T. rala , T. lamellipalpis , T. boettgeri , T. kurtvietsi , T. keesdavidsi , and T. anoplopalpa ) by being colorless, having incomplete hind coxal margins and being distributed in the southwest. T. dolichodactyla can be differentiated from all other Rala Group by having longer pedipalpal tarsi (♂ = 52.5 in T. dolichodactyla , 10-20 in others) and Dgl-4 closer to the muscle scars (dorsum width/distance between Dgl-4 ♂ = 1.74 in T. dolichodactyla , 1.16-1.48 in others).

Description.

Female unknown.

Male (Figure 60) (n = 1) (holotype only) with characters of the genus with following specifications.

Dorsum - (735 long; 590 wide) circular and colorless. Anterio-medial platelets (177.5 long; 77.5 wide). Anterio-lateral platelets (227.5 long; 97.5 wide) free from dorsal plate. Dgl-4 halfway between the muscle scars and the edge of the dorsum (distance between Dgl-4 340). Dorsal plate proportions: dorsum length/width 1.25; dorsal width/distance between Dgl-4 1.74; anterio-medial platelet length/width 2.29; anterio-lateral platelet length/width 2.33; anterio-lateral/anterio-medial length 1.28.

Gnathosoma - Subcapitulum (325 long (ventral); 235 long (dorsal); 135 tall) colorless. Rostrum (120 long; 50 wide). Chelicerae (325 long) with curved fangs (65 long). Subcapitular proportions: ventral length/height 2.41; rostrum length/width 2.40. Pedipalps with elongate tarsi and tuberculate ventral extensions on femora and genua. Palpomeres: trochanter (55 long); femur (140 long); genu (80 long); tibia (110 long; 32.5 wide); tarsus (52.5 long). Palpomere proportions: femur/genu 1.75; tibia/femur 0.79; tibia length/width 3.38.

Venter - (850 long; 720 wide) colorless. Gnathosomal bay (170 long; 115 wide). Cxgl-4 apical. Medial suture (95 long). Genital plates (220 long; 170 wide). Additional measurements: Cx-1 (350 long (total); 175 long (medial)); Cx-3 (480 wide); anterior venter (305 long). Ventral proportions: gnathosomal bay length/width 1.48; anterior venter/genital field length 1.39; anterior venter length/genital field width 1.79; anterior venter/medial suture 3.21.

Immatures unknown.

Etymology.

Specific epithet ( dolichodactyla ) refers to elongate pedipalp tarsus (dolichos, G. long; daktylos, G. finger), which is the most elongate of all Torrenticolidae .

Distribution.

New Mexico (probably also Arizona) (Figure 59).

Remarks.

Unfortunately, we were unable to acquire fresh material of Torrenticola dolichodactyla 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, incomplete hind coxal margins, distribution, and lack of color are consistent with placing this species in the Rala Identification Group.