Mecyclothorax hunapopoti, Liebherr, James K., 2013

Liebherr, James K., 2013, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Tahiti, Society Islands, ZooKeys 322, pp. 1-170 : 100-101

84. Mecyclothorax hunapopoti sp. n.

Diagnosis.

Quite similar in appearance to Mecyclothorax maninapopoti in the setal formula 2101, standardized body length 4.2 mm, moderately transverse pronotum with briefly sinuate lateral margins, and ovate elytra with moderately convex elytral intervals, but this species can be diagnosed by: 1, elytral striae 1-5 deep and continuously joined to elytral basal groove; 2, discal elytral striae smooth, deep, only slightly undulated at depth, the undulations not regularly placed along the striae; and 3, elytra broader basally, more narrowly ovate behind, MEW/HuW = 2.0. Head with frontal grooves shallow, broad, the surface undulated by transverse wrinkles; eyes large, moderately convex, covering much of protruded ocular lobe, ocular ratio 1.43, ocular lobe ratio 0.85; antennae moderately elongate, submoniliform, antennomere 8 length 1.75 × maximal breadth. Pronotum little transverse, moderately constricted basally, MPW/PL = 1.17, MPW/BPW = 1.51; median base not depressed relative to disc, the basal and discal surface coplanar medially; median base with ~16 punctures each side, the punctures anastomosing laterally, elongate along margin with disc; anterior transverse impression broad, very shallow medially, finely incised in lateral quarters; front angles only slightly protruded, rounded; lateral marginal depression narrow, edge beaded, depression broader inside front angles; laterobasal depression a smooth U-shaped expansion of lateral depression. Elytra moderately convex, the disc broadly raised with upraised, callous-like sutural intervals, the sides distinctly sloped to a near vertical juncture with the lateral marginal depression; elytral intervals distinctly convex; humeri subangulate laterad evenly curved basal groove; lateral marginal depression moderately broad outside anterior series of lateral elytral setae, evenly narrowed to carinate margin at subapical sinuation; interval 8 broadly convex, slightly upraised laterad stria 7 dorsad subapical sinuation, but all intervals convex apically so difference in convexity is minimal; lateral elytral setae 7 + 6. Microsculpture of frons an obsolete transverse mesh, transverse sculpticells deeper on neck impression and near pronotal margin; pronotal disc with evident transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –4× length; discal elytral intervals covered with well-developed transverse lines with little tendency to form an elongate mesh. Coloration of frons rufopiceous, clypeus and labrum rufous; antennomere 1 flavous, 2-3 rufoflavous; 4-11 rufobrunneous; pronotal disc rufopiceous, lateral margin narrowly and median base broadly rufous; elytral disc rufobrunneous with purplish metallic reflection, sutural interval rufous basally and apically; lateral elytral depression narrowly rufoflavous; femora flavous with a brunneous cast, tibiae slightly more brunneous.

Holotype female (MNHN) labeled: French Polynesia: Tahiti Nui / Mt. Marau road el. 1185 m / 4-IX-2006 lot 02 / 17°36.440'S, 149°32.877'W / pyrethrin fog tree ferns // Weinmannia J.K. Liebherr // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / hunapopoti / J.K. Liebherr 2013 (black-bordered red label).

Etymology.

The species epithet compounds the Tahitian words huna, meaning secret or hidden, with popoti, cockroach, signifying the similarity of this species to Mecyclothorax maninapopoti .

Distribution and habitat.

This species is known only from a pyrethrin fog sample taken at 1185 m on Mont Marau. The vegetation fogged was unremarkable, consisting of a Weinmannia tree mixed with Cyathea tree fern foliage, both plants abundant on Tahiti. The sample also included one specimen each of Mecyclothorax arboricola and Mecyclothorax poria , and three specimens of the common Mecyclothorax globosus .