Mecyclothorax claridgeiae, Liebherr, James K., 2013

Liebherr, James K., 2013, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Tahiti, Society Islands, ZooKeys 322, pp. 1-170 : 19

1. Mecyclothorax claridgeiae sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Of the Mecyclothorax muriauxi group species with setal formula 2202, this is the only one with a pronotum that is evenly narrowed basally to the obtuse-rounded hind angles (Fig. 10A). Standardized body length 7.2 mm. Head broad with small eyes; frontal grooves broad, shallow, ill defined mesad eyes, deep and broad only near frontoclypeal suture; antennae elongate, filiform, antennomere 8 length 2.0 × breadth; eyes little convex, sharing curvature with broad ocular lobe, ocular ratio 1.36, ocular lobe ratio 0.70. Pronotum subquadrate, moderately transverse, MPW/PL = 1.22; lateral margin moderately constricted before hind angle, MPW/BPW = 1.17; a minute jag at hind angle caused by flat articulatory socket of basal pronotal seta; anterior transverse impression broad, shallow, its outline obscured medially by about eight deep longitudinal strigae each side of midline; lateral margin moderately broad in apical half, broadly explanate and raised before hind angle; laterobasal depression deep, broad and smooth. Elytra broadly quadrate, MEW/HuW = 1.79; striae 1-6 well developed, densely punctate, the punctures expanding the strial breadth, separated along stria by length subequal to their diameter, stria 7 shallower, all striae smooth and complete apically; interval 8 broadly subcarinate, convexly protruded dorsad subapical sinuation; lateral elytral setae 7 + (5-6). Microsculpture on vertex a transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 × length, sculpticells more isodiametric on neck; pronotal disc with regular transverse mesh, breadth 2 × length, median base with isodiametric sculpticells between punctures; elytral disc with transverse sculpticells, breadth 2 –3× length, the sculpticells more deeply margined at elytral apex. Coloration of forebody rufopiceous, pronotal lateral margins and median base rufobrunneous; antennomeres 1-3 rufoflavous, 4-11 rufobrunneous; elytral disc rufobrunneous, the sutural interval rufous near scutellum, rufoflavous apically; femora rufoflavous, tibiae rufoflavous with brunneous cast.

Female reproductive tract. The lone female specimen was not dissected.

Holotype female (MNHN) labeled: French Polynesia: Tahiti Nui / Pito Hiti el. 2000 m 2-VI- / 2006 lot 02 pyrethrin fog / 17°36.790'S, 149°27.842'W / E.M. Claridge // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / claridgeiae / J.K. Liebherr 2013 (black-bordered red label).

Etymology.

The species epithet honors the collector, Dr. Elin Claridge, who collected the specimen during the first and only entomological expedition to Pito Hiti.

Distribution and habitat.

The type specimen of this species was collected via application of pyrethrin fog to moss-covered vegetation. Thus within the microhabitat of epiphytic mosses, the beetles may be considered subarboreal in habits.