Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

(045) Mecyclothorax patagiatus sp. n. Figs 60C, 61 A–B, 64

Diagnosis .

This, the third Haleakalā Mecyclothorax ovipennis group species to display bicolored elytra (Fig. 60C), can be diagnosed by the following combination: 1, discal elytral striae 1-6 rufobrunneous with piceous cast, intervals 7-9 contrastedly rufoflavous; 2, pronotal disc also rufobrunneous with piceous cast, pronotal margins rufoflavous; 3, parascutellar seta present; 4, subapical elytral seta present, apical seta absent; 5, pronotal lateral margins slightly divergent from hind obtuse hind angles; 6, elytral humeri broadly rounded, the elytra broadly subquadrate, MEW/HuW = 2.0. Criteria 1, 5, and 6 diagnose this species from both Mecyclothorax subtilis and Mecyclothorax patulus, whereas criteria 2, 3, and 4 diagnose this species from Mecyclothorax subtilis . The pronotum of the unique holotype has the basal pronotal seta present on the right side, with the left hind angle glabrous (specimen examined at 125 ×), obviating use of this character in the diagnosis. Setal formula 2 1-2 2 1[sae]. Standardized body length 3.8 mm (slightly larger than both preceding species).

Description

(n = 1). Head capsule with frontal grooves broad near clypeus, lateral carina to anterior supraorbital seta; dorsal surface of neck flat; eyes moderately convex, ocular ratio = 1.43, ocular lobe ratio 0.78; labral anterior margin broadly emarginate to 1/6 of length; antennae filiform, antennomeres 2-3 with sparse pelage of short setae; mentum tooth with sides acute, apex tightly rounded. Pronotum transverse, MPW/PL = 1.30, base moderately constricted, MPW/BPW = 1.50; hind angle obtuse, margin behind rounded; median base moderately depressed, ~20 punctures or strigose wrinkles each side; basal margin convexly expanded between laterobasal depressions; median longitudinal impression evident, finely incised, joined by fine transverse wrinkles; anterior transverse impression deep, finely incised, minute irregularities in deepest part; anterior callosity elevated, flat, crossed by indistinct longitudinal wrinkles; front angles projected, broadly rounded; apical and basal pronotal widths subequal, APW/BPW = 1.03; lateral marginal depression moderate, edge upturned, broader at front angle; laterobasal depression narrowly concave, continuous with lateral depression. Proepisternum with 5 minute punctures along hind marginal groove; prosternal process narrowly impressed medially, lateral margins broadly beaded between coxae. Elytra with disc flat, sides moderately sloped; basal groove slightly recurved to broadly rounded humerus; parascutellar striole with 3-4 punctures, shallow between punctures; sutural interval coplanar with lateral intervals basally, upraised in apical half; sutural and 2nd striae of subequal depth and breadth from base to apex; discal striae 1-5 broad, deep, stria 6 shallower and more irregular, stria 7 shallower still; sutural stria deep, finely punctate basally, deep, narrow, and smooth apically; striae 2-4 with minute punctures on disc, punctures shallower in stria 5, linear irregularities in stria 6; discal intervals 2-4 convex, lateral intervals less so; 8th interval slightly more convex than fused apical portion of striae 5 + 7; 2 dorsal elytral setae at 0.27 × and 0.54 × elytral length, setal impressions small, spanning ½ width of interval 3; lateral elytral setae arranged in anterior series of 6 setae, posterior series of 5 setae; elytral marginal depression narrow, margin little upturned in basal half, beadlike near subapical sinuation; subapical sinuation very shallow, nearly obsolete. Mesepisternum with ~6 punctures in 1-2 rows; metepisternal width to length ratio = 0.80; metepisternum/metepimeron suture distinct. Abdomen with irregular lateral wrinkles in ventrites 1-5, lateral depressions in ventrites 3-6; suture between ventrites 2 and 3 complete; apical male ventrite with 2 marginal setae. Legs-metatarsomere 1/metatibial length ratio = 0.19; metatarsomere 4 length along outer lobe 1.3 × medial tarsomere length, apical and subapical setae present; metatarsal dorsolateral sulci narrow, shallow, median surface broad. Microsculpture of vertex with evident isodiametric sculpticells in transverse rows; pronotal disc with shallow transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 3 × length, to transverse lines; pronotal median base with shallow transverse mesh laterally, median area glossy; elytral disc with evident transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –4× length, apex with more distinct transverse mesh of same dimensions; metasternum with transverse mesh; laterobasal abdominal ventrites with swirling isodiametric and transverse microsculpture. Coloration of vertex rufobrunneous; antennomere 1 flavous, antennomeres 2-3 rufoflavous; 4-11 rufobrunneous; pronotal disc rufobrunneous with piceous cast, margins rufoflavous; proepipleuron rufoflavous, proepisternum rufobrunneous with piceous cast; elytral sutural interval concolorous with disc basally, rufoflavous apically; elytral epipleuron dorsally flavous, ventrally rufoflavous; metepisternum rufobrunneous; abdomen with ventrites 1-2 medially, 3-5 mediobasally rufopiceous, 3-6 apically and marginally rufoflavous, apical ventrite 6 with apical ¾ paler, flavous; metafemur flavous; metatibia flavous with brunneous cast.

Male genitalia (n = 1). Aedeagal median lobe robust, distance between parameral articulation and tip 3.2 × depth at midlength (Fig. 61A); extension of apex beyond ostial opening parallel sided at base and evenly narrowed dorsoventrally to tightly rounded tip; median lobe curved sinuously leftward toward apex in ventral view, the right margin distinctly concave, left margin convex (Fig. 61B); internal sac without ornamentation, flagellar plate elongate, length of sclerotized plate 0.54 × parameral articulation-tip distance.

Holotype.

Male (CUIC) dissected and labeled: HI: E.Maui, Kuhiwa / 2950 ft.,10June1999 / Cibotium chamissois / Dead fronds // C. Ewing Coll. / 20°46'25"N / 156°06'04"W // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / patagiatus / Liebherr / det. J.K. Liebherr 2015 (black-margined red label).

Etymology.

The Latin stem for this species epithet is patagium; i.e. a gold edging or border (Brown 1956). The adjectival form patagiatus signifies the pale elytral border of beetles of this species.

Distribution and habitat.

Mecyclothorax patagiatus is known from 900 m elevation in the Kuhiwa Valley of the Hanawī windward face of Haleakalā (Fig. 64). The type specimen was collected from dead Cibotium ( hāpu‘u) tree fern fronds along with one specimen each of Bembidion haleakalae Liebherr, Mecyclothorax mauiae (Fig. 71), and Mecyclothorax bacrionis (Fig. 112).