Qecyclothorax subgen. n., Liebherr, 2018

Liebherr, James K., 2018, Cladistic classification of Mecyclothorax Sharp (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) and taxonomic revision of the New Caledonian subgenus Phacothorax Jeannel, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 65 (1), pp. 1-63 : 12

Qecyclothorax subgen. n.

Diagnosis.

These robust-bodied species (Fig. 8B ) are geographically restricted to upland regions of Queensland, Australia, and have been recently revised by Baehr (2003). The pronotum of species in this subgenus is broad, with obtuse or obtusely rounded hind angles, and each elytron bears a single dorsal elytral seta just before midlength ( Baehr 2003, fig. 3), a condition also observed in four species of subgenus Mecyclothorax Meonochilus (e.g. Fig. 8C ). The mentum tooth is broadly rounded (Fig. 1E ), though such a configuration is also observed in M. blackburni and M. lophoides of subgenus Mecyclothorax Eucyclothorax . The prothorax is depressed medially both between and anterad the procoxal cavities, a condition shared with most member species of Eucyclothorax , though prosternal punctures are never present here. The elytral striae are reduced, with striae 1-3 to 1-4 shallow, and striae 4- or 5-7 obsolete (Fig. 8B ). Apically on the elytra the striae are reduced, with at most sutural and seventh stria present, and in several species only the sutural striae evident. The elytra are broadly convex, with the eighth interval not, or only slightly upraised ( M. lewisensis ) relative to the general curvature of the elytral surface. The suture between abdominal ventrites 1 and 2 is nearly straight, with the second ventrite hardly depressed relative to the first, whereas this suture is sinuous with the second ventrite depressed within the sinuosity in species of Eucyclothorax and Meonochilus . This condition varies among the New Caledonian Phacothorax spp. as well as across subgenus Mecyclothorax Mecyclothorax . The male aedeagal median lobe internal sac bears a flagellum (Fig. 4E ), and the ventral paramere is elongate-conchoid in shape, broadly to narrowly subtriangular with ventral setae present (Fig. 5B ; Baehr 2003, fig. 1). The female bursa copulatrix is relative short (Fig. 6D ), with the spermathecal duct entering at the bursal-common oviduct juncture.

Member species.

Baehr (2003) distinguishes the four species analyzed here (Fig. 7 ), recognizing seven subspecies.

Etymology.

Given restriction of species in this subgenus to Queensland, the Queensland derived first syllable “qe” is combined with MacLeay’s (1871) Cyclothorax to derive the subgeneric epithet. Just as in the original name of the Australian airline QANTAS-Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd.- Qecyclothorax obviates the unnecessary letter u while retaining the normal pronunciation of the letter Q. Based on the shared nominative masculine terminal syllable thorax, this epithet agrees in gender with the generic name.

Figures

Figure 1. Head and mouthpart structures of Mecyclothorax spp. A-C. Head capsule, dorsal view: A, M. goweri; B, M. fleutiauxi; C, M. laterorectus. D-I, Mentum, labial palps and ligula: D, M. peryphoides, ventral view; E, M. storeyi, ventral view; F, M. amplipennis, dorsal view; G, M. montivagus, dorsal view; H, M. kanak, ventral view; I, M. fleutiauxi, ventral view. Abbreviations include: aso, anterior supraorbital seta; pso, posterior supraorbital seta.

Figure 4. Male aedeagal median lobe and parameres of Mecyclothorax spp., right lateral view, internal sac everted in C-G: A, M. blackburni; B-C, M. peryphoides; D, M. moorei; E, M. lewisensis; F, M. punctipennis; G, M. montivagus. See Table 2 for abbreviations.

Figure 5. Paired left (above) and right (below) parameres of Mecyclothorax spp. (ectal view): A, M. blackburni; B, M. storeyi; C, M. amplipennis; D, M. montivagus; E, M. laterobustus. As the aedeagal assembly of M. storeyi males is inverted relative to other Mecyclothorax species (Moore 1984), the configuration of the upper, or right paramere of M. storeyi should be compared to the ventral, or left parameres of the other species, and vice versa.

Figure 6. Female reproductive tract, gonocoxites and associated laterotergites, Amblytelus and Mecyclothorax spp: A, A. matthewsi; B, A. brevis; C, M. blackburni; D, M. storeyi; E, M. minutus; F, M. rectangulus. See Table 2 for abbreviations.

Figure 7. Strict consensus cladogram of 16 equally most-parsimonious trees derived from cladistic analysis of 65 moriomorphine taxa, including the secondary outgroup Neonomius laevicollis, six primary outgroup taxa in Amblytelus and allied genera, and 58 ingroup terminals; 57 Mecyclothorax species plus two genitalic forms of M. andersoni. Species terminals are labeled with species name and three-letter abbreviation of relevant generic or subgeneric name. Full listing of included taxa along with subgeneric assignments is presented in Table 2. Cladistic analysis is based on 137 characters (see character descriptions for nature of each character Areas occupied by the included taxa indicated by abbreviations following species epithets: Bo, Borneo; EOZ, eastern Australia, i. e. east of the Nullarbor Plain; FP, French Polynesia, Tahiti; HI, Hawaiian Islands, Maui; Jv, Java; LH, Lord Howe Island; NC, New Caledonia; Nf, Norfolk Island; NNZ, North Island of New Zealand; NZ, generally distributed across New Zealand; OZ, generally distributed across Australia; PNG, Papua New Guinea; QOZ, restricted to Queensland, Australia; SNZ, South Island of New Zealand plus Chatham Islands; SP & A, St. Paul and Amsterdam Islands; WOZ, western Australia, i. e. west of the Nullarbor Plain.

Figure 8. Mecyclothorax spp., dorsal view, with subgeneric assignments: A, M. (Eucyclothorax, subgen. n.) Mecyclothorax blackburni (type species); B, M. (Qecyclothorax, subgen. n.) Mecyclothorax storeyi (type species); C, M. (Meonochilus, status n.) Meonochilus amplipennis (type species); D, M. (Mecyclothorax) montivagus (type species); E, M. (Mecyclothorax) lissus.