Mecyclothorax konemata, Liebherr, James K., 2013

Liebherr, James K., 2013, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Tahiti, Society Islands, ZooKeys 322, pp. 1-170 : 90-91

71. Mecyclothorax konemata sp. n.

Diagnosis.

This is the smallest-bodied species in the Mecyclothorax globosus group characterized by presence of a single, posterior supraorbital seta in company with a glabrous third elytral interval (Figs 37D, 39A, B); seta formula 1101; standardized body length 3.4 mm. The eyes are very small and little convex (Fig. 37D); ocular ratio 1.32, ocular lobe ratio 0.72. A diameter line with one end set at the antennal articulation crosses 8 ommatidia on the compound eye. Head with straight, narrowly depressed, and slightly convergent frontal grooves, the grooves’ posterior terminus just anteromesad the posterior supraorbital seta; antennae short, moniliform, antennomere 8 length 1.43 × maximal breadth. Pronotum little transverse, lateral margin straight to slightly convergent anterad right to slightly obtuse hind angle, MPW/PL = 1.18, MPW/BPW = 1.47; anterior margin of median base depressed relative to convex disc, but base inflated nearly to basal margin medially and so appearing convex; juncture between median base and disc lined with 5-6 longitudinal punctures, ~6 indistinct punctures each side toward basal margin; anterior transverse impression well defined, a carinate anterior margin present across breadth, impression medially crossed by about 6 longitudinal wrinkles each side, the wrinkles continuing across anterior callosity; front angles only slightly protruded, the lateral marginal depression very narrow throughout length, the edge beaded; laterobasal depression with irregular surface, broad shallow depressions near pronotal basal margin and transverse wrinkles anteriorly near lateral depression. Elytra ovate, broad basally and attenuate apically, the basal groove gently curved mesad the obtuse-rounded humerus, MEW/HuW = 2.05; elytral disc convex, scutellum and base depressed, and sides sloped to vertical juncture with lateral marginal depression; striae 1-6 shallow, distinctly punctate on disc with punctures expanding striae, the associated intervals slightly convex medially, flatter in lateral intervals; stria 7 very shallow, interrupted, with irregular elongate depressions along length, slightly deeper and broader near elytral apex; interval 8 convex from posterior end of lateral elytral setae to apex, but not upraised above stria 7; lateral elytral setae 6 + 5, the posterior seta of the anterior series, and the anterior seta of the posterior series isolated from the other setae in the respective series. Microsculpture of frons an evident transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –3× length, sculpticells isodiametric on neck; pronotal disc with obsolete transverse mesh, mesh difficult to discern in reflected light, sculpticell breadth 2 –4× medially; elytral discal intervals covered with shallow transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –3× length. Coloration of head rufous; antennomere 1 flavous, 2-3 with smoky cast, 4-11 rufobrunneous; pronotal disc dark rufous, margins concolorous; elytra rufobrunneous, the sutural interval rufous basally and rufoflavous apically, the lateral marginal depression paler, rufoflavous only near pale, rufoflavous elytral apex; femora flavous, tibiae flavous with rufoflavous cast.

Holotype female (MNHN) labeled: Aorai - Tahiti / piege 1100/1400 m / 20/21.V.1978 (pink paper label // Museum Paris / 1994 / Coll. G. Perrault (pink paper) // ε (hand written on white label) // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / konemata / J.K. Liebherr 2013 (black-bordered red label).

Etymology.

The species epithet compounds the Tahitian word kone, meaning small, with mata, meaning eye; konemata signifying the small eyes characterizing this species.

Distribution and habitat.

This specimen was collected by Georges Perrault on Mont Aorai, 1000-1400 m elevation in 1978, and placed a the end of his collection in a small section of undescribed material. The epsilon - i.e., “ε” - identifier label suggests that he understood this specimen to represent something distinctive, but he did not have the opportunity to describe it.