Mecodema kokoroiho, Seldon & Buckley, 2019

Seldon, David S. & Buckley, Thomas R., 2019, The genus Mecodema Blanchard 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) from the North Island, New Zealand, Zootaxa 4598 (1), pp. 1-148 : 62-63

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6BA5F086-1014-46B5-B6D5-77FE0CD07AEC

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5678392

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A044DE9C-45DC-404E-A9C1-A5C29E761C17

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:A044DE9C-45DC-404E-A9C1-A5C29E761C17

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Mecodema kokoroiho
status

sp. nov.

Mecodema kokoroiho View in CoL sp. n.

Figure 34 View FIGURE 34 .

Diagnosis: Distinguished from other North Island Mecodema species by: 1, vertexal groove broad and shallow with a few scattered, obsolescent punctures and rugose wrinkles laterally; 2, the pronotal foveae deep and narrow (distinctly formed by posterior sinuation); 3, intervals 1 and 7 continued to base; 4, distinctive shape of the apical portion of the penis lobe ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 PL).

Description: Length 27–34 mm, pronotal width 6.5–9 mm, elytral width 8–11 mm. Colour of body matte to glossy black, coxae and femur dark reddish-brown, tibiae black.

Head: Broad and flat ( Fig. 14A View FIGURE 14 ). Vertex with very fine wrinkles forming an isodiametric pattern; vertexal groove well-defined, broad and shallow laterally with a few scattered obsolescent punctures and rugose wrinkles laterally; small supraorbital puncture ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ) bearing 3–4 setae; 4–5 well-defined supraorbital grooves extended onto frons; frons with shallow grooves laterally, medially convex, a broad and shallow depression each side (extended to frontoclypeal area) of midline; frontoclypeal suture ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ) indistinct with indistinct to small tentorial pits within a larger depression; anterior area of clypeus medially convex posterad with 3 shallow grooves; 1 clypeal puncture each side bearing 1–2 setae. Labrum lobate, anterior edge strongly emarginated with 2 proximate central setae, 2 setae each side evenly spaced. Mentum lobes rounded ( Fig. 12F View FIGURE 12 ), median process short and broad, moderately angled upward (30°), strongly indentate ( Fig. 12A View FIGURE 12 ); mentum setae absent. Submentum sclerite constriction broad with 6 evenly spaced setae. Stipes with 2 basal setae. Gula pits small, suture defined, gula flat and smooth. Gena with a finely wrinkled isodiametric pattern across entire area.

Prothorax: Prothoracic carina ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ) narrow the entire length, crenulations absent with 8–12 setae each side, extended beyond anterior angle; posterior sinuation indistinctly carinate, angled slightly inward; pronotum broad and flat, deflected laterally, overall shape cordate ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 ); disc with very fine transverse wrinkles laterally; midline well-defined, anterior medial triangular impression and posterior medial diamond-shaped impression present; pronotal foveae deep and narrow (distinctly formed by posterior sinuation); anterior edge inwardly curved, posterior edge straight ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 ). Prosternum concave with very fine transverse lines; proepisternum without microsculpture. Procoxal setae absent; protibia distally expanded and shovel-like ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ).

Elytra: Broad and flat, slightly deflected laterally; humeral angle evenly convex ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 ); basal margin slightly curved and gently sloped to base, intervals 1 and 7 continued to base; lateral carina narrow the entire length ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 ), extended beyond humeral angle; humerus with 3 proximate setose punctures and 1 double-spaced posterad; suture indistinctly impressed; striae with small, regularly spaced asetose punctures, indistinct near suture to more visible laterally; intervals 1–6 weakly convex, intervals 7–9 moderately convex, interval 9 truncated anterad prior to humerus; interval microsculpture present in form of fine transverse lines; 7 th strial setal pattern with 3 setose punctures in anterior ½, 5 setose punctures in posterior ½ ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 ), setose punctures small.

Ventral surface: Mesepisternum with obsolescent punctures and a few lines, metepisternum without microsculpture; setose punctures present on mesocoxae (2) and metacoxae (2). All abdominal ventrites ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) finely lineate; ventrites 3–5 with 1–2 setose punctures each side of midline; ventrite 6 setae present: ♂ with a pair of closely spaced setae at the junction of squared apical edge and curve anterad, ♀ with 3 setae each side, 1 proximate medially, 2 clustered together distantly from midline, apical edge obtuse rounded; ventrites foveate laterally (very shallow depressions). Anterior metaventrite process ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) a short triangle with a well-defined narrow carina the entire length.

Male genitalia: Apical portion of penis lobe asymmetrically hooked and width broad with a moderate deflection to right of vertical axis (VV) ( Fig. 15B View FIGURE 15 ); ventral process a very short point at centre, apex symmetrically curved upward to form a distinctly recurved, rounded dorsal process (looks like a dolphin fin) with a brief and sharp returned curve to shaft ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 PL); penis lobe shaft narrow but broadened at apex and towards base; penis lobe ventral edge with a moderate curve to right (VV); overall length of penis lobe moderately curved ventrally (LV) ( Fig. 16B View FIGURE 16 ). Structures of the endophallus ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ): lateral form of the apex of the central spicule pointed; dorsal form of the apex of the central spicule greatly expanded with projection; setal (scales) coverage of the apical plate extensive (76–100%); size of left setose flange small; size of right setose flange very long. Left paramere basal lobe articulated at right angle, broad and short with moderate dorsal hump forming steep slope (60°) to truncated arm ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 LP); arm narrow and short; terminal lobe distinctly short and broad; apical tuft of sparse medium-lengthed setae, very short setae continued to medium-lengthed setae form a comb at junction of arm and basal lobe ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 LP); setae extended along along ½ of ventral edge; ventral edge straight. Right paramere a narrow, humped triangle with a double row of long setae along apical ¾ of ventral edge ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 RP).

Female genitalia: Basal gonocoxite 1 short and broad, broadened apically, branched grooves on ventral surface; internal dorso-lateral carina ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ) without setae. Gonocoxite 2 ovate in shape. Ramus short and relatively broad, rounded apically.

Comments. The description of Mecodema kokoroiho is based on 46 specimens caught during three trapping events (2007, 2008, 2009), from several locations within Warawara Forest Park, northwest Northland. This species has been found along forest edge near clearings and within 50 m of streams in cut-over broadleaf forest, but no specimens have been caught in areas of Warawara Forest where kauri ( Agathis australis ) trees are dominant.

Distribution. New Zealand, North Island, Northland, Warawara Forest.

Holotype: NZAC male labelled. NEW ZEALAND ND Warawara Forest Hauturu Stream 7–21 Nov 2009 pitfall traps D.S. Seldon / HOLOTYPE Mecodema kokoroiho n. sp. design. DS Seldon, TR Buckley 2018 [red label].

Paratypes: 3, NEW ZEALAND ND Warawara Forest Hauturu Stream 16-18 Dec 2007 pitfall traps D.S. Seldon & T.R. Buckley ( NZAC) ; 13, 1♀, NEW ZEALAND ND Warawara Forest Hauturu Stream 8–13 Dec 2008 pitfall traps D.S. Seldon, T.R. Buckley & R.A.B. Leschen ( NZAC) ; 15, NEW ZEALAND ND Warawara Forest Hauturu Stream 7–21 Nov 2009 pitfall traps D.S. Seldon 35°22.131 173°17.081 ( NZAC) ; 10, NEW ZEALAND ND Warawara Forest clay bank edge 7–21 Nov 2009 pitfall traps D.S. Seldon 35°22.309 173°17.139 ( AMNZ) ; 3, NEW ZEALAND ND Warawara Forest Kauri Plateau camp 7–21 Nov 2009 pitfall traps D.S. Seldon ( MONZ) .

Etymology: The species name, kokoroiho, means ‘a beetle found with the fern root’, was provided by Te Rarawa kaumātua Joseph Cooper, Waipuna Marae, Panguru, Northland. Being Te Reo Māori, the name is to be treated as a noun.

NZAC

New Zealand Arthropod Collection

AMNZ

Auckland Institute and Museum

MONZ

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa - Entomology

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Carabidae

Tribe

Broscini

Genus

Mecodema

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