Mecyclothorax giffardi Liebherr

Liebherr, James K., 2015, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Haleakala-, Maui: Keystone of a hyperdiverse Hawaiian radiation, ZooKeys 544, pp. 1-407 : 104-105

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

(039) Mecyclothorax giffardi Liebherr Figs 52D, 53G, 56

Mecyclothorax giffardi Liebherr 2005b: 108.

Diagnosis.

Of the beetles comprising this taxonomic group, only individuals of this species simultaneously exhibit: 1, two dorsal elytral setae on interval 3 but no additional setae on intervals 5 or 7; 2, laterally convex elytra with the greatest width behind midlength in combination with slightly narrowed humeri, MEW/HuW = 1.98; and 3, moderately smaller body size, standardized body length 4.5-4.9 mm. The dorsal body surface is reflective due to largely transverse microsculpture: 1, vertex and pronotal disc covered with a distinct transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth subequal to twice sculpticell length; and 2, elytra with a transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –3× length. Only the pronotal median base exhibits the upraised isodiametric sculpticells–irregularly swirling based on the orientation of the cuticular surface–characteristic of other species in the group. Setal formula 2 2 2 2.

Identification

(n = 2). The eyes are smaller, covering only ¾ of the protruded ocular lobe, and narrowly convex, ocular ratio = 1.41-1.42. The forebody is narrower relative to the elytra than in the other species with only the 2 dorsal elytral setae; MEW/MWH = 2.14, MEW/MPW = 1.46. The discal elytral striae are minutely punctate, and the dorsal elytral setae are in broad, foveate depressions that span interval 3 plus the adjacent halves of intervals 2 and 4. The forebody is distinctly darker than the elytra, with frons and vertex plus pronotal disc rufopiceous, contrasted to the rufobrunneous elytra. The apex of the elytral sutural stria and the adjoining elytral apex are paler, rufoflavous. Like related species, the femora are flavous with a basal piceous cloud, and the tibiae are rufobrunneous with a more pronounced piceous cast apically.

Male genitalia (n = 1). Aedeagal median lobe gracile, distance from parameral articulation to tip 4.1 × depth at midlength (Fig. 53G); apex broadly expanded with flat apical face, the ventral tip rightly rounded; internal sac short and broad, with broad dorsal ostial microtrichial patch at base, and ventral surface broadly spiculate as a ventral patch; flagellar plate short, length 0.30 × parameral articulation-tip distance.

Holotype.

Male (BPBM) dissected and designated by Liebherr (2005b: 109). Type locality is: HI: Maui, Haleakalā, Polipoli Springs area, 5000 ft. el.

Distribution and habitat.

Mecyclothorax giffardi is known from only two specimens, the holotype collected by W.M. Giffard at 1525 m elevation in the Kula Forest Reserve below Polipoli Springs, and a second male specimen collected by P.D. Krushelnycky in the Kahikinui Forest Reserve on Haleakalā’s south slope (Fig. 56). The Kahikinui specimen was collected in koa - ‘ōhi‘a leaf litter.