Mecodema wharekahika Seldon & Buckley 2019, sp. n.
Creators: name: Seldon, David S.
name: Buckley, Thomas R.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Carabidae
Mecodema
Mecodema wharekahika

description: Mecodema wharekahika sp. n.
Figure 64.
Diagnosis: Distinguished from other North Island Mecodema species by having: 1, vertexal groove narrow and shallow the entire length, defined by punctures and short grooves; 2, prothoracic carina broad in anterior ⅓, narrowed in posterior ¾, crenulations absent with 10–12 setae each side; 3, shape of the basal lobe and setal distribution along the ventral edge of the left paramere (Fig. 64 LP).
Description: Length 28.3–33 mm, pronotal width 7.6–9.3 mm, elytral width 8.7–10.3 mm. Colour of body dorsally matte to glossy black, ventrally dark reddish-brown to matte black, coxae and femur dark red, legs black.
Head: Broad and flat (Fig. 14A). Vertex (Fig. 9) with a fine isodiametric pattern laterally; vertexal groove narrow and shallow the entire length, defined by short grooves and punctures, increased laterally; large supraorbital puncture bearing 4–5 setae (Fig. 64); 2–3 defined supraorbital grooves; frons with a large shallow depression each side of midline; frontoclypeal suture narrow between small tentorial pits; anterior area of clypeus grooved, 1 large setose puncture each side and a medial setose puncture, all bearing 2 setae each (Fig. 64). Labrum rounded, anterior edge outwardly curved, weakly emarginated with 2 proximate central setae, 2 setae each side evenly spaced. Mentum lobes rounded (Fig. 12F), mentum process very short and broad, moderately angled upward (45°), strongly indentate (Fig. 12A); mentum setae absent. Submentum sclerite constriction broad with 6 even-spaced setae (broad gap medially). Stipes with 2 basal setae. Gula pits small, suture indistinct, gula weakly convex with fine transverse lines. Gena with fine wrinkles forming an isodiametric pattern anterad.
Prothorax: Prothoracic carina broad in anterior ⅓, narrowed in posterior ¾, crenulations absent with 10–12 setae each side (Fig. 64), extended beyond anterior angle; posterior lateral sinuation indistinctly carinate, slightly angled outward; pronotum broad and flat, slightly deflected laterally, overall shape cordate (Fig. 64); midline welldefined, anterior medial triangular impression and posterior medial diamond-shaped impression present, disc with fine wrinkles laterally and a small round depression each side midway; pronotal foveae (Fig. 11) very broad and shallow; anterior edge and posterior edge slightly inwardly curved. Prosternum (Fig. 2) concave and smooth; proepisternum with fine wrinkles. Procoxal setae absent; protibia distally expanded and shovel-like (Fig. 10B).
Elytra: Broad and flat, deflected laterally; humeral angle evenly convex (Fig. 6B); basal margin slightly curved and gently sloped to base, interval 1 extended to base; lateral carina narrow the entire length, extended beyond humeral angle; humerus with 4 setae: 3 proximate the angle, 1 double-spaced posterad (Fig. 64); suture indistinct; striae with small, regularly spaced, asetose punctures, increased in size laterally; intervals 1–8 weakly convex, interval 9 moderately convex; interval microsculpture present as well-defined transverse lines; 7 th strial setal pattern with 3–4 setose punctures in anterior ½, 4 setose punctures in posterior ½ (Fig. 64), setose punctures large.
Ventral surface: Mesepisternum with wrinkles, may have sparse obsolescent punctures; metepisternum (Fig. 2) finely lineate; setose punctures present on mesocoxa (2) and metacoxa (2). All abdominal ventrites lineate across entire area; ventrites 3–5 with 1 setose puncture each side of midline; ventrite 6 setae present: ♂ with 1 setose puncture situated distantly at junction of straight apical edge and curve anterad, ♀ with 3 setose punctures each side (1 proximate midline, other 2 at junction of straight apical edge and curve anterad); ventrites foveate laterally. Anterior metaventrite process (Fig. 2) a short, pointed triangle (convex basally) with a broad carina the entire length.
Male genitalia: Apical portion of penis lobe asymmetrically hooked with a distinct deflection to right of vertical axis (VV) (Fig. 15A); ventral edge of shaft curved sharply downward to form a short and pointed ventral process that is slightly back from vertical axis (Fig. 64 PL), apex curved symmetrically upward to form a very rounded and flattened dorsal process with a brief, straight angle back to the shaft (Fig. 64 PL); shaft of penis lobe straight and narrow the entire length (VV); overall length of penis lobe moderately curved ventrally (LV) (Fig. 16B). Structures of the endophallus (Fig. 4): lateral form of the apex of the central spicule flattened; 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 absent. Left paramere basal lobe triangular due to large dorsal hump forming steep (60°) slope to arm (Fig. 64 LP); arm short and narrow, ventral edge with sharp curve upward; terminal lobe indistinct from arm, apical tuft of sparse short setae (Fig. 64 LP), very few short setae along ventral edge to longer setal comb in arm-basal lobe junction; ventral edge straight. Right paramere narrowly rectangular, gradually narrowed to terminus with setae extended along apical ½ of ventral edge (Fig. 64 RP), strongly inwardly curved apically across penis lobe.
Female genitalia: Basal gonocoxite 1 short and broad especially apically, ventral surface with numerous rugose wrinkles, internal dorso-lateral carina (Fig. 5) with 2 setae. Gonocoxite 2 short, bluntly rounded triangular (shark-fin like) with slight recurve of apical edge. Ramus long and broad.
Comments: Mecodema wharekahika is found in coastal podocarp-broadleaf forest, but it is not known if its range extends beyond Te Koau.
Distribution: New Zealand, North Island, East Cape region, Te Koau-Hicks Bay.
Holotype: NZAC male labelled. NEW ZEALAND BP Te Koau 243m 31 Jan–15 Mar 1993 R.C. Henderson / Pit trap / HOLOTYPE Mecodema wharekahika design. DS Seldon, TR Buckley 2018 [red label].
Paratypes: 1♀, NEW ZEALAND, BP Te Koau 243m 1 Dec 1992 – 31 Jan 1993 R.C. Henderson / Pit trap (NZAC); 1♂, NEW ZEALAND, BP Te Koau 243m 31 Jan–15 Mar 1993 R.C. Henderson / Pit trap (NZAC); 1♂, NEW ZEALAND, BP Te Koau ‘ Twin Puriris’ 31 Jan – 15 Mar 1993 / R.C. Henderson Pit traps (NZAC); 1♂ NEW ZEALAND, BP Te Koau 243m 15 Mar–28 Apr 1993 / J.S. Dugdale Pit traps (NZAC); 1♂, NEW ZEALAND, BP Te Koau 243m 30 Oct 1992 J.S. Dugdale / Pit trap (NZAC); 1♂, NEW ZEALAND, BP Te Koau 26 Oct–1 Dec 1992 G. Hall / Pit trap / NZAC04004855; 1♂, NEW ZEALAND, BP Te Koau 26 Oct–1 Dec 1992 G. Hall / Pit trap (NZAC); 1, NEW ZEALAND GB Te Koau 23 Sep 1992 G.M. Barker 100 m Puriri /nikau Forest [hw] (NZAC).
Etymology: This species, Mecodema wharekahika, has been given the Māori name for Hick’s Bay, as it is found in the native coastal broadleaf forest above the bay.
description: Published as part of Seldon, David S. & Buckley, Thomas R., 2019, The genus Mecodema Blanchard 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) from the North Island, New Zealand, pp. 1-148 in Zootaxa 4598 (1) on pages 133-136, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2668063