Mecyclothorax taiarapu Perrault, 1989: 64

Liebherr, James K., 2013, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Tahiti, Society Islands, ZooKeys 322, pp. 1-170 : 95

77. Mecyclothorax taiarapu Perrault, 1989: 64

Identification.

Among the Mecyclothorax globosus group, this species can be diagnosed by: 1, presence of only the posterior supraorbital seta and anterior dorsal elytral seta, setal formula 1111 (Fig. 39C); 2, well-developed transverse elytral microsculpture, a mixture of transverse sculpticells, breadth 2 –4× length, and transverse lines; and 3, standardized body length 3.4-4.3 mm. The pronotal median base bears deep round punctures, about 18 each side, with the punctures anastomosing in the rugose laterobasal pronotal depressions. The discal elytral striae are deep and broad, and the discal intervals broadly convex. The head bears evident, though shallow transverse-mesh microsculpture, the more elongate sculpticells near the transverse wrinkles emanating from the frontal grooves. The neck is covered with shallow isodiametric microsculpture. The pronotal disc bears elongate transverse microsculpture, the mesh irregular leading to a predominance of transverse lines. The sculpticell margins are shallow and they cannot be traced in areas of reflected light. The male aedeagal median lobe is gracile, with an elongate ventral expansion at the apex ( Perrault 1989, fig. 9); essentially a doubling of the longitudinal dimension of the ventral aedeagal expansion observed in Mecyclothorax arboricola males (Fig. 40F).

Distribution and habitat.

Individuals of this species have been found from 900-1200 m elevation on Mont Teatara, Tahiti Iti. Beetles have been found inhabiting arboreal mosses, and among the appressed leaves of the clumped Astelia lilies.