Torrenticolid water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Torrenticolidae) from Ghana

Abstract

New records of water mites of the family Torrenticolidae (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from streams in Ghana are presented. One new subgenus, Vietsclio n. subgen., is erected to accommodate Monatractides uniscutatus (K. Viets, 1925), characterized by the presence of swimming setae on leg II-IV. Seven new species are described: Neoatractides (Allotorrenticola) erato n. sp., Monatractides (Monatractides) euterpe n. sp., M. (M.) melpomene n. sp., M. (M.) polyhymnia n. sp., M. (M.) thalia n. sp., M. (M.) terpsichore n. sp., M. (M.) urania n. sp. Torrenticola calliope is established as the new name for previously reported populations of T. harrisoni K. Viets, 1956 from Ethiopia. The first description of the female is given for Monatractides (Monatractides) acutiscutatus (K. Viets, 1914) and M. (Vietsclio) uniscutatus K. Viets 1925. The subgenus Allotorrenticola Cook, 1967, previously known only from Asia, is reported for the first time from the Afrotropical region. Additionally, first records for Ghana are given for Torrenticola anomallela Cook, 1966, T. bomiensis Cook, 1966, T. fasciata (K. Viets, 1916), T. motasi Cook, 1966, T. harrisoni K. Viets, 1956, Pseudotorrenticola mitchelli Cook, 1966, Monatractides (Monatractides) acutiscutatus (K. Viets, 1914), M. (M.) convexiscutata (K. Viets, 1958), M. (M.) koenikei (K. Viets, 1916), M. (M.) stigeophora (Cook, 1966), M. (M.) ventriosus (K. Viets, 1916), M. (M.) microstoma Koenike, 1898-species complex, and M. uniscutatus (K. Viets 1925).

Revision of torrent mites (Parasitengona, Torrenticolidae, Torrenticola) of the United States and Canada: 90 descriptions, molecular phylogenetics, and a key to species

“…Although this is not generally possible with mites, torrenticolids lend themselves to such representation because the characters needed to diagnose species, such as color pattern, are viewable from such images—a condition not common in most mite groups. Second, we depart from the suggestion of Goldschmidt (2007) and recent torrenticolid descriptions (e.g., Pešić 2014 ; Pešić and Gerecke 2014 ; Pešić and Smit 2014 ) in that we do not depict the ejaculatory complex or legs as these systems were not useful in differentiating species that were easily distinguished by other systems (e.g., color, various measurements and proportions). In fact, in those cases where two or more species were difficult to differentiate using our methods (e.g., Miniforma Group), we examined the ejaculatory complex and legs for additional characters.…”

New records of water mites from Southeast Asia (Acari: Hydrachnidia) with the description of two new genera and 12 new species

“…Remarks -The single female from Vietnam resembles superficially specimens tentatively included in the so-called M. macroporus (K. Viets, 1935)-complex (see , Pešić and Smit 2009, 2014b. This group includes several similar species known from SE Asia, i.e., M. angulatus (Walter, 1928) (India), M. macroporus (K. Viets, 1935) (Sumatra, Java, Borneo), M. major (K. Viets, 1935) (Java), M. longiventris (Viets, 1939) (Java, Borneo), M. tranversalis (Lundblad, 1941) (Myanmar), M. nondescripta (Cook, 1966) (India), M. minor Wiles, 1991 (Malaysia) and M. epiales Pešić & Smit, 2014b (Borneo).…”

“…In this character state, it agrees with M. minor Wiles, 1991 from Malaysia, a species differing in minor idiosoma and palp dimensions and four dorsoglandularia on the dorsal plate . Understanding the taxonomic position of the species of this complex species is not possible without the application of molecular techniques (Pešić and Smit 2014b), so introducing a new species on basis of a female will create more confusion given the present state of knowledge of this species.…”

“…resembles M. (M.) koenikei (K. Viets, 1916), a species known from West Africa. The latter species can be distinguished in having three pairs of knob-like protrusions at the lateral margins of the moderately deep gnathosomal bay, a longer medial suture line of Cx-II+III and somewhat stouter palp segments, especially P-4 (see Pešić and Smit 2014a). …”

Torrenticola trimaculata n. sp. (Parasitengona: Torrenticolidae), a three-spotted water mite from eastern North America: taxonomic history, species delimitation, and survey of external morphology

“…There has been much recent progress made by only a handful of taxonomists in the knowledge of Torrenticolidae from Palaearctic (e.g., Di Sabatino and Cicolani 1990;Di Sabatino et al 2003Pešić et al 2011Pešić et al , 2013Tuzovskij 2003Tuzovskij , 2012Tuzovskij , 2013, Afrotropical (Goldschmidt andSmit 2009, Pešić andSmit 2014a), Oriental (e.g., Pešić and Smit 2011Pešić and Smit 2014b;Pešić and Gerecke 2014), and Neotropical regions (Goldschmidt 2007). The present work represents the first in a series of descriptions intended to fill the gap in knowledge of Nearctic species.…”