Mecyclothorax putaputa, Liebherr, James K., 2012

Liebherr, James K., 2012, New Mecyclothorax spp. (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) define Mont Mauru, eastern Tahiti Nui, as a distinct area of endemism, ZooKeys 227, pp. 63-99 : 72-75

3. Mecyclothorax putaputa sp. n. Figs 3C8B

Diagnosis.

This species shares well-developed microsculpture on head, pronotum and elytra with Mecyclothorax castaneus Perrault, the sculpticells a mixture of isodiametric and transverse on frons, transverse on pronotal disc, and of dense transverse lines on the elytral intervals. The discal elytral striae are distinctly punctate in this species, with the punctures in the basal third of striae 1-4 expanding the breadth of the striae, a character shared with Mecyclothorax mapo Liebherr of Moorea. However Mecyclothorax mapo differs by transverse-mesh elytral microsculpture and obsolete microsculpture on head and pronotum. This species differs from both Mecyclothorax castaneus and Mecyclothorax mapo by the obtuse-rounded pronotal hind angles, versus right and sharp hind angles in those two species. Whereas the two type specimens of Mecyclothorax castaneus ( Perrault 1986) variably exhibit one or two dorsal elytral setae (one the more common condition), the two specimens of this new species plus those of Mecyclothorax mapo are uniformly bisetose; setal formula 2221. Beetles of this species exhibit standardized body length 4.3-4.5 mm versus 3.8-4.1 mm for Mecyclothorax castaneus . The type series of Mecyclothorax mapo includes individuals with body length ranging 3.8-4.4 mm.

Description.

Head capsule withfrontal grooves subparallel mesad anterior supraorbital setae, convergent anteriorly, deep and broad at frontoclypeal suture, thin carina present mesad anterior supraorbital seta; neck convex between eye hind margins; ocular lobe little protruded, meeting gena at 150° angle, a shallow and narrow groove at juncture; ocular ratio 1.57 (n = 2), ocular lobe ratio 0.87-0.89; labral anterior margin angularly emarginated medially, impressed ⅛ length; antennomeres 1-3 glabrous except for apical setae, minute pore sensilla visible in translucent cuticle of shafts; antennae submoniliform, antennomere 8 length 1.67 × maximal breadth; mentum tooth sides defining an acute angle, apex tightly rounded. Pronotum quadrisetose, moderately transverse, constricted basally, MPW/PL = 1.18-1.24 (n = 2), MPW/BPW = 1.52-1.60; hind angles obtuse, set forward from base by convex basal margin; lateral margins subparallel just laterad hind setae, then divergent immediately anterad setal sockets; median base slightly depressed relative to disc, margin with disc lined with 5 large punctures each side, about 14 smaller punctures each side on base; median longitudinal impression finely incised, shallow with fine transverse wrinkles, present as lenticular depression at front of median base; anterior transverse impression shallow, broad medially, fine longitudinal wrinkles present behind impression on disc, impression distinctly incised in outer half of breadth each side; anterior callosity slightly convex, smooth; front angles slightly protruded, tightly rounded, distance between front angles subequal to distance between hind angles, APW/BPW = 0.97-1.0 (n = 2); lateral marginal depression very narrow at midlength, slightly broader at front angle, marginal bead and depression slightly broader along sinuate basolateral margin and basally posterad laterobasal depression; laterobasal depression a narrowly expanded continuation of lateral marginal depression, 2-3 punctures along mesal margin with disc; proepisternum with 5 distinct punctures along hind margin, the punctures separated by small carinae; prosternal process broad, broadly beaded laterally, median area convex between lateral beads. Elytra ellipsoid, moderately convex, disc little upraised above scutellum, sides sloped to near vertical juncture with marginal depression; basal groove narrowly curved to tightly rounded humerus, the humeri close together, MEW/HuW = 2.22-2.28 (n = 2); parascutellar seta present, situated just mesad sutural stria; parascutellar striole 4-5-punctate, striole interrupted or very shallow between punctures; sutural interval as broad and convex as intervals 2-4 basally, narrower and upraised to sutural juncture apically; discal striae 1-4 moderately impressed, minutely punctate, striae 5-6 shallow but evident on disc, stria 7 obsolete, interrupted in basal half, striae 2-6 very shallow but traceable to basal groove on humerus; striae 1, 2, and 7 deepest at elytral apex, striae 3-4 shallow, broad, and striae 5-6 very shallow but traceable; eighth interval carinate at apex of stria 3, more broadly subcarinate, convex laterally apicad stria 4; two dorsal elytral setae set in evident impressions that cross ½ width of interval 3, setal positions at 0.23 –0.25× and 0.58 –0.60× elytral length; apical elytral seta present, subapical seta absent; lateral elytral setae 7 + 6; elytral marginal depression moderately narrow at humerus, but edge upturned, depression broadest laterad anterior setal series, narrowed with beaded margin to subapical sinuation; subapical sinuation abrupt, deep, short. Mesepisternum with 9 punctures in 1-2 vertical rows; metepisternum slightly elongate, width to length ratio 0.79; metepisternum separated from metepimeron by distinct suture; metathoracic flight wing a trapezoidal flap, the apex extended just beyond metanotal hind margin; wing vestigium with rudiments of R and M veins, the vein remnants darker tan versus the ivory wing membrane. Abdomen with visible ventrites 1-5 irregularly wrinkled laterally, ventrites 3-6 with rounded depressions laterally; suture between visible ventrites 2 and 3 effaced laterally. Legs moderately gracile, metatarsomere 1 length 0.204 × metatibial length; metatarsomere 4 moderately, broadly triangular apically, overall length 1.43 × median tarsomere length; metatarsomere 4 with apical and subapical setae; metatarsal dorsolateral sulci shallow and lateral, tarsomere median surface broadly convex. Microsculpture of head well developed, frons with transverse mesh of sculpticell breadth 3 –4× length, neck with transverse mesh 2 × broad as long; pronotal disc with evident transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –4× length, mixed with transverse lines; pronotal median base covered with swirling transverse mesh among punctures; elytral disc with evident transverse lines loosely joined into a mesh, the surface subiridescent; elytral apex with transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –4× length; metasternum covered with distinct transverse mesh; laterobasal abdominal ventrites with swirling isodiametric and transverse sculpticells. Coloration of head rufous with a piceous cast, clypeus rufoflavous; antennomeres 1-2 flavous, 3-11 darker, with smoky cast; pronotal disc rufous, margins of disc narrowly rufoflavous, marginal bead rufopiceous; proepipleuron rufoflavous with brunneous cast, proepisternum rufobrunneous; elytral disc rufous with silvery metallic reflection; sutural interval slightly paler basally, concolorous on disc, rufoflavous apically; elytral margins concolorous at humerus, narrowly rufoflavous in depth of lateral marginal depression; elytral apex beyond subapical sinuation graded to rufoflavous; elytral epipleuron rufoflavous with brunneous cast, metepisternum rufobrunneous; visible abdominal ventrites 1-6 rufobrunneous, ventrites 1-3 with piceous cast laterally, apical ¼ of apical ventrite 6 paler, rufoflavous; metafemur flavous with brunneous cast; metatibia flavous, carina associated with longitudinal setal series darker, rufobrunneous.

Female reproductive tract. The unique female holotype was not dissected, although the gonocoxae were exposed allowing their preliminary characterization (Fig. 8B). Basal gonocoxite 1 narrowed apically to narrow, scimitar-like apical gonocoxite 2; basal gonocoxite 1 with apical fringe of 4 setae; apical gonocoxite 2 narrow basally, curved, apex acuminate, with 2 lateral ensiform setae, the basal lateral seta much smaller than the apical seta, and 1 dorsal ensiform seta (visible through gonocoxite in ventral view); apical gonocoxite with 2 apical nematiform setae in pitlike depression. Initially, the female paratype was dissected, although the specimen apparently suffered trauma in the killing jar, as only the base of each basal gonocoxite 1 jaggedly remained attached to laterotergite IX. The internal reproductive tract was also damaged, however the following characters could be determined: bursa copulatrix ovoid with length twice breadth when compressed on microslide, apex with slight constriction defining an ill-defined apical lobe; spermatheca orbicular, spermathecal length about ¼ length of spermathecal duct; spermathecal gland entering base of spermatheca, the duct subequal in length to apical gland reservoir.

Holotype female (MNHN) labeled: French Polynesia: Tahiti Nui / Mt. Mauru trail at pylon 4 / el. 1060 m 5-IX-2006 lot 01 / 17°38.055'S, 149°22.146'W / pyr. fog mossy Metrosideros / & Melicope J.K. Liebherr // 1 // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / putaputa / J.K. Liebherr 2012 (black-bordered red label).

Paratype female. SOCIETY ISLANDS: Tahiti Nui; Mauru, above pylon 4, cloud forest, 17°38.05'S, 149°22.15'W, 1060 m el., beating vegetation, 19-ix-2006 lot 01, Liebherr (CUIC, 1).

Etymology.

The species epithet, putaputa, is Tahitian for punctured ( Wahlroos 2002), signifying the distinctly punctate discal elytral striae. The epithet is to be treated at a noun in apposition.

Distribution and habitat.

The two specimens of this species were found at 1060 and 1100 m elevation, in low-stature Weinmannia and Metrosideros forest. One specimen was collected in a pyrethrin fog sample from moss growing on a Metrosideros trunk, the second by beating vegetation along the margins of openings in the forest. Mecyclothorax tihotii and Mecyclothorax anaana were the two species found syntopically in these situations (Fig. 2C).