Mecyclothorax cupreoides Perrault, 1978b: 156; 1989: 69

Liebherr, James K., 2013, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Tahiti, Society Islands, ZooKeys 322, pp. 1-170 : 114

99. Mecyclothorax cupreoides Perrault, 1978b: 156; 1989: 69

Identification.

Along with Mecyclothorax cupreus (Fig. 46D), this species can be diagnosed by the brilliant coppery metallic reflection of the dorsal cuticle (Fig. 49B). Unlike Mecyclothorax cupreus , the frons and vertex of the head are glossy in individuals of this species, at most with patches of indistinct transverse sculpticells visible among the transverse wrinkles associated with the frontal grooves. The pronotal disc and discal elytral intervals are also glossy, with indistinct transverse sculpticells sporadically visible across their undulated surfaces. The elytra are obovate, the lateral margins narrowly rounded posterad the obtusely angulate humeri. The male aedeagal median lobes in the two species are quite similar (Figs 47E, H), supporting a close phylogenetic relationship. The median lobe shaft is broad, and the apex only slightly extended past the ostial apex, the ostial canal very short. The internal sacs in males of both species possess a spiculate dorsal ostial microtrichial patch, a less spiculate ventral ostial microtrichial patch, and an elongate flagellar plate. In males of this species, the plate length is 0.77 × the distance from parameral articulations to apex. Setal formula 2121, though a male paratype (MHNB) unilaterally exhibits a subapical elytral seta on the left elytron; standardized body length 4.0-4.9 mm.

Distribution and habitat.

This species is known from over 100 specimens - mostly collected in pitfall traps - at localities ranging 800-1400 m elevation on Mont Marau.