Mecodema oconnori

Mecodema oconnori is a large-bodied species of ground beetle endemic to the lower half of the North Island, New Zealand.[1][2][3] It is mainly found in native forest habitats on the western side of the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges, but is also found in the Manawatu Gorge and some other eastern localities.[4]

Mecodema oconnori
Dorsal view of specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Carabidae
Genus:
Mecodema
Species:
M. oconnori
Binomial name
Mecodema oconnori
Broun, 1912

Diagnosis

Differs from other North Island Mecodema species by:

  1. its large and robust body size;
  2. elytral intervals 8 and 9 terminating short of basal margin;
  3. apical shape of the penis lobe;
  4. the setal distribution along the ventral edge of the left paramere.[4]

Description

Length 29–34 mm, pronotal width 7.9–10.4 mm, elytral width 9.3–11.7 mm. Colour of head and pronotum glossy black, elytra matte black, ventral surface dark reddish-brown to black, including legs (may be a darker red).[4]

Natural History

Mecodema oconnori is one of the few species of New Zealand carabids that has any published ecological or life history studies and/or observations. This species is relatively long-lived and only produces a small number of eggs in a season. The female broods the eggs, as well as the larvae, in a burrow beneath logs or rocks.[2][5]

References
  1. "Mecodema oconnori Broun, 1912". www.nzor.org.nz. Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  2. Hutchison, Melissa A. S. (2007-01-01). "Seasonality and life histories of two endemic New Zealand carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae): Mecodema oconnori Broun and Megadromus capito (White)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 34 (1): 79–89. doi:10.1080/03014220709510066. ISSN 0301-4223.
  3. 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.
  4. Seldon, D.S.; Buckley, T.R. (2019). "The genus Mecodema Blanchard 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) from the North Island, New Zealand". Zootaxa. 4598 (1): 1–148. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 31716064.
  5. Townsend, J.I. (2013). "Ecological observations on Mecodema oconnori Broun (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini)". Weta. 44: 20–27.


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