Torrenticolid water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Torrenticolidae) from Ghana Author Pešić, Vladimir Author Smit, Harry text Zootaxa 2014 3820 1 1 80 journal article 36832 10.11646/zootaxa.3820.1.1 e3d7d016-1d73-438f-95e4-1b028b2b9627 1175-5326 286303 BBE4177B-5A2C-4911-987C-454BB8FA767C Monatractides melpomene n. sp. ( Figs. 28A–H , 37A–B , 38A–B , 44B ) Type series . Holotype male, dissected and slide mounted, Ghana : Amedzofe Falls, 6º 50.656 N , 0º 26.868 E , alt. 599 m asl., 20.ii.2013 , Smit. Paratypes : 3 [one juvenile]/8 [two juveniles]/0, same data as holotype , 1/2/0 dissected and slide mounted; 0/1/0, unnamed creek upstream Sagyimase, Atewa Hills, 6º 13.966 N , 0º 33.114 W , alt. 671 m asl., 28.ii.2013 , Smit, dissected and slide mounted. Diagnosis. Dorsal shield with colour pattern as illustrated in Figs. 37A–B , ventral seta on P-3 comparatively stouter than seta on P-2, ventral setae on P-4 slender and short, not reaching the tip of P-5. Male: genital field with long setae at lateral and posterior margins, ejaculatory complex with small proximal chamber. Description. General features —Idiosoma roundish; shoulder platelets elongated (shoulder/frontal platelets L ratio 1.5–1.7); dorsal shield with colour pattern as illustrated in Figs. 37A–B , frontal margin medially with large anterolaterally pointed apodemes ( Figs. 28C , 29B ); Cxgl–4 located far distal at tips of Cx-I; gnathosomal bay deep, narrow U-shaped, proximally pointed, three pairs of knob-like protrusions at the lateral margins of gnathosomal bay; posterior suture line of Cx-IV distinct, originating from lateral edge of genital field; excretory pore away from the line of primary sclerotization, Vgl-2 well posterior to excretory pore; gnathosoma compact, with long dorsal apodemes, rostrum truncated ( Fig. 28G ); palp ( Figs. 28D–E , 29C ): ventral seta on P-3 comparatively stouter than seta on P-2; distal margin of P-3 and P-4 medially and laterally with several pointed extensions; ventral setae on P- 4 slender and short, not reaching the tip of P-5. Male: medial margin of Cx-II/III relatively short; genital field oval, anteriorly enlarged and triangular, lateral margins slightly convex, slightly tapering to caudal end, genital flaps with long setae at lateral and posterior margins ( Fig. 28F ); ejaculatory complex with small proximal chamber ( Fig. 44B ). Female: genital field elongated trapezoid, anteriorly enlarged, laterally straight, tapering posteriorly. Measurements. Male ( holotype , in parentheses paratype from Amedzofe Falls, n = 1)—Idiosoma (ventral view: Figs. 28B , 38A ) L 734 (709), W 594 (583); dorsal shield ( Figs. 28A , 37A ) L 632 (600), W 519 (516), L/W ratio 1.22 (1.16); dorsal plate L 597 (560); shoulder platelets L 188–194 (181–188), W 63–67 (66–68), L/W ratio 2.9–3.0 (2.8); frontal platelets L 113–114 (116–117), W 61 (66–69), L/W ratio 1.84–1.86 (1.7–1.8), shoulder/ frontal platelets L ratio 1.64–1.72 (1.57–1.6). Gnathosomal bay L 147 (147), Cx-I total L 261 (277), Cx-I mL 114 (129), Cx-II+III mL 51 (41); ratio Cx-I L/Cx-II+III mL 5.1 (6.8); Cx-I mL/Cx-II+III mL 2.2 (3.1). Genital field L/ W 167 (166)/128 (129), ratio 1.31 (1.28); ejaculatory complex L (238); distance genital field-excretory pore 150 (141), genital field-caudal idiosoma margin 253 (223). Gnathosoma vL 157 (162); chelicera total L 208 (211); palp total L 225–228 (223–226), dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 26/32, 0.81 (21–22/32, 0.67); P-2, 63–64/46, 1.37 (71/46, 1.54); P-3, 43/38–39, 1.12 (41–42/40, 1.04); P-4, 61–62/26, 2.35 (58–59/26, 2.23); P-5, 32/15, 2.1 (32/15, 2.1); P-2/P-4 ratio 1-03 (1.22); dL of I-L-2–6: 72 (71), 90 (85), 106 (104), 103 (99), 105 (105); I-L-6 H 38–39 (38–39), dL/H I- L-6 ratio 2.74 (2.72). FIGURE 28A–H. Monatractides melpomene n. sp. , male, Amedzofe Falls: A = dorsal shield; B = idiosoma, ventral view; C = frontal margin of idiosoma, dorsal view; D = palp, medial view; E = palp, lateral view (P-1 lacking); F = genital field; G = gnathosoma; H = I-L-5 and -6. Scale bars = 100 Μm. FIGURE 29A–C. Monatractides melpomene n. sp. , female, Amedzofe Falls: A = dorsal shield; B = frontal margin of idiosoma, dorsal view; C = palp, medial view. Scale bars = 100 Μm. Female ( paratype from Amedzofe Falls, n = 1)—Idiosoma (ventral view: Figs. 29A , 38B ) L 758, W 631; dorsal shield ( Fig. 37B ) L 619, W 531, L/W ratio 1.17; dorsal plate L 581; shoulder platelets L 183–188, W 66–67, L/W ratio 2.79; frontal platelets L 116–120, W 61, L/W ratio 1.9–2.0; shoulder/frontal platelets L ratio 1.5–1.6. Gnathosomal bay L 147, Cx-I total L 267, Cx-I mL 120, Cx-II+III mL 36; ratio Cx-I L/Cx-II+III mL 7.4; Cx-I mL/ Cx-II+III mL 3.3. Genital field L/W 178/162–163, ratio 1.1; distance genital field-excretory pore 156, genital fieldcaudal idiosoma margin 266. Gnathosoma vL 155; chelicera total L 217; palp total L 229, dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 26/31, 0.84; P-2, 65/47, 1.38; P-3, 43/40, 1.08; P-4, 63/26–27, 2.38; P-5, 32/15, 2.14; P-2/P-4 ratio 1.03; dL of I-L- 2–6: 65, 86, 106, 105, 105; I-L-6 H 38–39, dL/H I-L-6 ratio 2.72. Etymology . The species is named after Melpomene (Ancient Greek: Μελπομένη), one of nine Muses from Greek mythology, who was a patron of tragedy. The species name is a noun in apposition (in the nominative case). Discussion . See discussion under Monatractides euterpe n. sp. Habitat. Sandy/bouldary streams, shaded by rainforest. Distribution. Ghana .