Mecodema

Mecodema is a genus of large flightless ground beetle (Carabidae) endemic to New Zealand. The genus is very diverse in comparison to the other three New Zealand genera (Diglymma, Oregus, Orthoglymma) within the subtribe Nothobroscina (tribe Broscini). Mecodema is the only nothobroscine that is geographically widespread across both the North and South Islands, as well as numerous offshore islands, although a species of Diglymma is found in Wellington.

Mecodema
Mecodema by Des Helmore
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Carabidae
Subfamily:
Broscinae
Tribe:
Broscini
Subtribe:
Nothobroscina
Genus:
Mecodema

Blanchard, 1853

Genus description

Head, frons and vertex often rugose and / or punctate, microsculpture or macrosculpture absent in some species groups (e.g., curvidens species);[1][2] eyes prominent, almost hemispherical; a single supraorbital puncture on each side, bearing more than one setae; setose punctures of vertex absent; mandibles large, uniformly narrow to the pointed apex, sharply curved in the apical third, mandibles with a number of dorsal grooves and without a seta in the scrobe;[1][2] mentum with median process, which is notched to strongly indentate (bifid); usually with 2 setiferous punctures (may be absent) below the process and generally with 4–8 setose (setiferous) punctures along the submentum sclerite; labial palpi with setae on the penultimate segment; terminal segments of all palpi slightly compressed, sub-cylindrical, truncate; ligula chitenous with a median carina, 2 apical setae present; the membranous paraglossae extended well beyond the apex of the ligula; stipes with 2–3 basal setae; antennomeres I–II glabrous, III–V with apical ring, VI–XI setose throughout; antennomeres I–III subcylindrical, IV–VII subglobose and slightly compressed. Prothoracic carina (pronotal lateral margin) distinct with an asymmetrical number of setae along each side, the last never at the posterior lateral sinuation (posterior angle); midline (median groove) and pronotal foveae (laterobasal depressions) always present; pronotal disc often with shallow depressions on each side of apical half.[1][2] Elytra always striate; fused together along the suture; hind wings absent; a row of setose punctures on the 7th stria and another row (umbilical series) near the lateral carina (elytral margin). Legs slender, the protibia with a pointed apical prolongation on the outer side, greatly distally expanded to distally expanded and shovel-like; male and female tarsi identical, the basal 4 segments of the anterior tarsi are as broad as they are long, usually slightly asymmetrical.[1][3][4]

Type species: M. sculpturatum Blanchard 1853.

Species and subspecies (102)

References
  1. Seldon, D.S.; Buckley, T.R. (2019). "The genus Mecodema Blanchard 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) from the North Island, New Zealand". Zootaxa. 4598 (1): zootaxa.4598.1.1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 31716064.
  2. Britton, E.B. (1949). "The Carabidae (Coleoptera) of New Zealand part 3: A revision of the tribe Broscini". Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 77: 533–581.
  3. Blanchard, C. (1853). Voyage au pole sud et dans l'océanie sur les corvettes l'astrolabe et la zélée; exécuté par ordre du roi pendant les années 1837–1838–1839–1840, sous le commandement de MJ Dumont-D'urville, Capitaine de Vaisseau; publié par ordre du gouvernement, sous la direction supérieure de M. Jacquinot, Capitaine de Vaisseau, Commandant de la Zélée. Zoologie par MM. Hombron et Jacquinot.
  4. Liebherr, J.K.; Marris, J.W.M.; Emberson, R.M.; Syrett, P.; Roig‐Juñent, S. (2011). "Orthoglymma wangapeka gen.n., sp.n. (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini): a newly discovered relict from the Buller Terrane, north-western South Island, New Zealand, corroborates a general pattern of Gondwanan endemism". Systematic Entomology. 36 (3): 395–414. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3113.2011.00569.x. ISSN 1365-3113.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.