Blackburnia (Metromenus) filipes (Sharp)

Liebherr, James K., 2009, Native And Alien Carabidae (Coleoptera) Share Lanai, An Ecologically Devastated Island, The Coleopterists Bulletin 63 (4), pp. 383-411 : 399-401

Blackburnia (Metromenus) filipes (Sharp)

Distribution. This species was collected by Perkins from Kaiholena Gulch behind Koele at 600 m el. (lot ‘‘79. Lanai, Lanai Gulch Carabid 2 black legged,

under bark, about 2.000 ft. I + II ’94’’; Anonymous N. D.), and also from the summit of Haalelepaakai (lot ‘‘134. Lanai, Halepaakai, VII. ’94’’; Anonymous N. D.). Recent records are restricted to the summit ridge at 990–1,020 m elevation, well within the confines of the cloud forest community ( Fig. 1 ). Cloud forest localities include Lanaihale, Haalelepaakai, and Waikeakua. As with M. filipes and B. depressa , a more extensive distribution based on all specimens ( Fig. 6C ) has been diminished through historical loss of habitats at lower elevations.

Habitat. Beetles of this species have been beaten from native substrates including mossy ohia, soft understory ferns, and F. arborea . Within the cloud forest at Lanaihale and Waiakeakua these beetles have been collected on nonnative plants, including on the trunk of a live ‘‘ Norfolk Island pine’’ ( Auracaria columnaris [G. Forster]) (Little and Skolmen 1989), and on downed Eucalyptus logs. As mentioned under M. filipes , B. filipes was collected by beating soft understory ferns along with the natives B. depressa and M. filipes , plus the nonnative G. picipes .

Alien Carabid Beetle Species

Four non-native carabid species are herein recorded from Lanai, three for the first time. These include M. buchanani , two species of the genus Gnathaphanus W.S. MacLeay (tribe Harpalini ), and Perigona nigriceps (Dejean) (tribe Perigonini ). All can be identified to tribe using Liebherr and Zimmerman (2000). As there are several genera of Harpalini that include adventive representatives in Hawaii, a key to the six species of Harpalini known to have been introduced to Hawaii is presented under treatment of that tribe’s species on Lanai.

Tribe Platynini

Figures

Fig. 1. Pre-Polynesian vegetation communities on the island of Lanai (after Hobdy 1993): 1) cloud forest; 2) mesic forest; 3) dry forest; 4) arid grassland and shrubland; 5) coast and strand.

Fig. 6. Known distributions of carabid beetle species on Lanai. A. Blackburnia lanaihalensis. B. B. depressa. C. B. filipes. D. Metacolpodes buchanani. E. Gnathaphanus picipes (small circles), G. picipes plus G. multipunctatus (larger bullseye). F. Perigona nigriceps.