111 three water mite species of the genus torrenticola

NATURA MONTENEGRINA, PODGORICA, 3, 2004, 37-41
UDK 591.9:595.42(560)(045)=111
THREE WATER MITE SPECIES OF THE GENUS TORRENTICOLA PIERSIG (ACARI,
HYDRACHNIDIA) NEW FOR THE TURKISH FAUNA
Davut TURAN 1 & Vladimir PESIC 2
S y n o p s i s
Water mite specimens were collected from Iyidere (Ikiz) in period April and May 2004. In
this study, three water mite species of the genus Torrenticola Piersig (Acari: Hydrachnidia,
Torrenticolidae): T. anomala (Koch, 1837), T. brevirostris (Halbert, 1911) and T. barsica
(Szalay, 1933), are reported for the first time from Turkey.
Keywords: Acari, water mites, Turkey, Torrenticola, new records.
S y n o p s i s
TRI VRSTE VODENIH GRINJA IZ RODA TORRENTICOLA PIERSIG (ACARI,
HYDRACHNIDIA) NOVE ZA FAUNU TURSKE
Vodene grinje sakupljene su u potoka Iyidere (Ikiz) u aprilu i maju 2004. Tokom ove
studije, prvi put su u fauni Turske registrovane tri vrste vodenih grinja iz roda Torrenticola
Piersig (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae): T. anomala (Koch, 1837), T. brevirostris (Halbert,
1911) i T. barsica (Szalay, 1933).
Ključne riječi: Acari, vodene grinje, Turska, Torrenticola, novi nalazi.
1 K.T.Ü. Rize Su Ürünleri Fakültesi, Fener Mahalesi, 53100, Rize, Turkey
2 Department of Biology, University of Montenegro, Cetinjski put b.b., 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro,
Serbia and Montenegro (email: pesicv@cg.yu)

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INTRODUCTION
Water mites of the genus Torrenticola Piersig have been found in all biogeographic
regions except for Australia and Antarctica (W i l e s, 1997). The aim of this paper is to
contribute elements for an extended revision of the diversity, distribution and ecology of
torrenticolid water mites in the river basins draining Eastern Turkey.
At present, only three species of the genus Torrenticola Piersig are known from Turkey
(S m i t, 1995; Ö z k a n, 1982; T u r a n, 1997): Torrenticola elliptica (Maglio, 1909), T. ungeri
(Szalay, 1927) and T. amplexa (Koenike, 1908).
During a survey of the freshwater fauna of Eastern Black Sea coast (Fig. 1), several
species of the water mite were collected, including the three species of the genus Torrenticola
Piersig, new for the Turkish fauna.
Fig 1. A map of the study area (Eastern Black Sae coast – Turkey)
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Water mites were collected by hand netting, sorted on the spot from the living material,
and conserved in Koenike’s fluid and dissected as described elsewhere (e.g. G e- r e c k e, 1991).
Slide-mounted specimens and material preserved in fluid is lodged in the collection of the second
author, further material will be deposited in the collection of the first author.

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PEŠIĆ, V., TURAN, D: Three water mite species new for the Turkish fauna
The following abbreviations are used: I-L-6 = Leg 1, sixth segment, P-1 = palp, first
segment, Cx-1 = first coxae, L = length, W = width, H = height, n = number of specimens
examined. All measurements are given in µm.
Genus Torrenticola Piersig, 1896
Subgenus Torrenticola Piersig, 1896
Torrenticola anomala (Koch, 1837)
RESULTS
Material examined: Turkey: Eastern Black Sae coast, Iyidere (Ikiz) stream, 16.03.2004, leg.
Turan, 1 male (damaged, gnathosoma and palps lacking), 5 females.
Distribution: Holarctic.
Description: Female: Idiosoma L 750, W 607, dorsal shield L 650, W 514, L/W ratio
1.26; shoulder platelet L 188; frontal platelet L 133; shoulder/frontal platelet L ratio 1.41;
gnathosomal bay L 126, Cx-1 total L 254, medial L 129, Cx-2+3 L 67; ratio Cx-1 total L/Cx-2+3
medial L 1.97, Cx-1 medial L/Cx-2+3 medial L 1.93; genital field 167 in length, 142 in width,
L/W ratio 1.18; distance genital field–excretory pore 184, genital field–caudal body margin 278;
gnathosoma ventral L 308, with flattened ventral margin and long rostrum; chelicera L 347; palp
total L 341, dorsal length and relative length (in parentheses % of total length) of palp segments:
P-1 33 (9.7), P-2 101 (29.6), P-3 72 (21.1), P-4 111 (32.6), P-5 24 (7.0); P-2/P-4 ratio 0.91.
Remarks: T. anomala can be recognized in both sexes by the gnathosoma with flattened
ventral margin and long rostrum; males are characterized by a series of long hairs at the posterior
margin of the genital field and the ejaculatory complex with reduced proximal horns (G e r e c k e
& D i S a b a t i n o, 1996).
The dimensions given above fit well with the diagnostic character combinations and
variability ranges given for the females of T. anomala by C i c o l a n i & D i S a b a t i n o
(1990).
Habitat: T. anomala lives in brooks and rivers with sand and gravel substratum; in the
Iyidegere stream the species was accompanied by other mites regularly found in running waters as
Sperchon clupeifer, S. hispidus, Sperchonopsis verrucosa, Torrenticola brevirostris, T. barsica,
Lebertia porosa, and Hygrobates fluviatilis.
Torrenticola brevirostris (Halbert, 1911)
Material examined: Turkey: Eastern Black Sae coast, Iyidere (Ikiz) stream, 16 March 2004, leg.
Turan, 12 males, 6 females.
Distribution: Palaearctic.

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Description: Male: Idiosoma L 807, W 636, dorsal shield L 679, W 507, L/W ratio 1.34;
shoulder plate L 188; frontal plate L 150; shoulder/frontal plate L ratio; gnathosomal bay L 133,
Cx-1 total L 305, medial L 172, Cx-2+3 L 112; ratio Cx-1 L/Cx-2+3 medial L 1.77 Cx-1 medial
L/Cx-2+3 medial L 1.54; genital field subrectangular in shape, 192 in length, 144 in width, L/W
ratio 1.33; ejaculatory complex L 296; distance genital field–excretory pore 158, genital field–
caudal body margin 203; gnathosoma ventral L 294, with relatively short rostrum and weakly
curved ventral margin; chelicera L 342; palp total L 345-353 (n=2); dorsal length (n=2) and
relative length (n=2, in parentheses % of total length) of palp segments: P-1 33-34 (9.6), P-2 100-
106 (29.0-30.0), P-3 72-73 (20.7-20.9), P-4 107-111 (31.0-31.4), P-5 29-32 (8.2-9.3); P-2/P-4
ratio 0.93-0.95; Palp robust, P-1 short, ventral protuberances of P-4 ending in two tips separated
by a concavity.
Remarks: T. brevirostris can be recognized in both sexes by the gnathosoma with
relatively short rostrum, the elongated postgenital area and the P-4 relatively longer, P-2/P-4 L <
1.0; males are characterized by the excretory pore shifted from the line of primary sclerotization.
Females (in brackets data from C i c o l a n i & D i S a b a t i n o, 1990) can be distinguished
furthermore by the relatively shorter medial suture line of Cx-2+3 (L ratio Cx-2+3/Cx-1 6.2).
The dimensions given above fit well with the diagnostic character combinations and
variability ranges given for T. brevirostris by C i c o l a n i & D i S a b a t i n o (1990).
Habitat: T. brevirostris lives in brooks and rivers with sand and gravel substratum, also
in the sections with full exposure to sunlight (D i S a b a t i n o et al. 1992).
Torrenticola barsica (Szalay, 1933)
Material examined: Turkey: Eastern Black Sae coast, Iyidere (Ikiz) stream, 16 March 2004, leg.
Turan, 2 males.
Distribution: Europe, Mediterranean, Turkey.
Description: Male: Idiosoma L 693, W 550, dorsal shield L 571, W 443, L/W ratio 1.29;
shoulder platelet L 197; frontal platelet L 131; shoulder/frontal platelet L ratio 1.5; gnathosomal
bay L 150, Cx-1 total L 291, medial L 141, Cx-2+3 L 103; ratio Cx-1 total L/Cx-2+3 medial L
2.06, Cx-1 medial L/Cx-2+3 medial L 1.37; genital field 161 in length, 136 in width, L/W ratio
1.18; ejaculatory complex L 231; distance genital field–excretory pore 82, genital field–caudal
body margin 138; gnathosoma ventral L 311; chelicera L 344; palp total L 310, dorsal length
and relative length (in parentheses % of total length) of palp segments: P-1 36 (11.6), P-2 99
(31.9), P-3 61 (19.7), P-4 95 (30.6), P-5 19 (6.1); P-2/P-4 ratio 1.04; ventral protuberances of P-4
forming an unique tip.
Remarks: The discovery of frequent misidentifications of this species in older
collections confirms that T. barsica for a long time has been poorly understood species, and
consequently older records should be accepted with caution. Its distribution area possibly extends
also to Iran (P e s i c et al. unpubl.), Central Europe and South Africa (D i S a b a- t i n o et al.
2003). The dimensions given above fit well with the diagnostic character combinations and
variability ranges given for T. barsica by C i c o l a n i & D i S a b a t i- n o (1990).

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PEŠIĆ, V., TURAN, D: Three water mite species new for the Turkish fauna
Habitat: Running waters; the ecological requirements of the species are the similar as for
T. brevirostris with which it was frequently associated.
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