Mecyclothorax anaana, Liebherr, James K., 2012

Liebherr, James K., 2012, New Mecyclothorax spp. (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) define Mont Mauru, eastern Tahiti Nui, as a distinct area of endemism, ZooKeys 227, pp. 63-99 : 77-80

5. Mecyclothorax anaana sp. n. Figs 4B5C6B7B

Diagnosis.

This species is closest to Mecyclothorax hemisphaericus Perrault, sharing much reduced dorsal microsculpture, very shallow eytral striae and flat elytral intervals, and two supraorbital setae. However this species deviates from Mecyclothorax hemisphaericus by the presence of two dorsal elytral setae; setal formula 2121 versus 2111 for Mecyclothorax hemisphaericus . Standardized body length ranges 3.7-4.2 mm in this species versus 3.5-3.9 mm for Mecyclothorax hemisphaericus (n = 2, NHMB). The male aedeagus differs also, with the apex of the median lobe narrowly extended and downturned in this species (Fig. 5C) versus expanded both dorsally and ventrally, and no more downturned than the more basal portion of the shaft in Mecyclothorax hemisphaericus ( Perrault 1989, fig. 11).

Description.

Head capsule with linear, slightly convergentfrontal grooves, deep and broad at frontoclypeal suture, narrowly terminated mesad thin carina inside anterior supraorbital seta; frons and neck convex; ocular lobe moderately protruded, posteriorly meeting gena at> 135° angle; eyes small with outer surface more convex than curvature of lobe, hind portion of lobe meeting gena at shallow groove with low carina behind; ocular ratio 1.41-1.46 (n = 5), ocular lobe ratio 0.77-0.81 (n = 5); labral anterior margin nearly straight, emarginated <0.1 × length; antennomeres 1-3 glabous except for apical setae; antennae submoniliform, antennomere 8 length 1.85 × maximal breadth; mentum tooth sides defining acute angle, apex narrowly rounded. Pronotum cordate, basolateral margin constrictedly sinuate, base narrow, MPW/BPW = 1.55-1.65 (n = 5), overall shape appearing only slightly transverse, although MPW/PL = 1.16-1.23 (n = 5); glabrous hind angle sharply projected, nearly right, basal margin of angle convex; median base moderately depressed relative to disc, surface smooth, glossy, 9-10 deep, isolated punctures each side; basal margin slightly convex between hind angles; median longitudinal impression very shallow, finely incised, present as lenticular depression at front of median base; anterior transverse impression broad and shallow to obsolete medially, incised in outer half of breadth each side; anterior callosity flat, depressed medially, basal half may be crossed by indistinct longitudinal wrinkles; front angles slightly protruded, narrowly rounded; apical pronotal width greater than narrow base, APW/BPW = 1.09-1.13 (n = 5); lateral marginal depression very narrow at midlength, slightly wider at front angle, margin beaded throughout, bead slightly broader outside laterobasal depression; laterobasal depression linear, bordered laterally by broad marginal bead, medially by linear depression or punctures at edge of median base; proepisternum with 5-6 distinct punctures along hind margin, proepimeron with 5 punctures along hind margin; prosternal process narrow, broadly beaded laterally, narrowly depressed medially between procoxae. Elytra ellipsoid, disc very convex, upraised above scutellum, sides sloped to vertical juncture with marginal depression; elytral suture implacably fused in one individual examined for assessment of metathoracic flight wing configuration; basal groove tightly arcuate, anteriorly extended to angulate humerus; humeri proximate, MEW/HuW = 2.26-2.35 (n = 5); parascutellar seta present, situated near sutural stria; parascutellar striole 3-punctate, interrupted between punctures; sutural interval slightly more convex than lateral intervals yet depressed at sutural juncture, narrower in apical half and more convex due to deeper sutural stria at elytral apex; elytral striae 2-3 only slightly convex on disc, 4-5 nearly flat; strial punctures separated by shallowly depressed striae 1 and 2, completely isolated by interruptions of striae 3-5; stria 1 and 7 deep at elytral apex, 2-4 very shallow, difficult to trace, 5-6 obsolete; eighth interval abruptly upraised laterad stria 7 apicad subapical sinuation, the elytral apex mesad the seventh striae circularly depressed, enhancing carina of eighth interval; two dorsal elytral setae situated in deep but very small depressions that span < ¼ width of interval 3, setae positioned at 0.25 –0.26× and 0.52 –0.61× elytral length; apical elytral seta present, subapical seta absent; lateral elytral setae 7 + 6; elytral marginal depression moderately broad from angulate humerus posteriorly, margin upraised laterally, beaded in apical ⅓; subapical sinuation shallow but evident, internal plica visible in dorsoposterior view. Mesepisternum with 14 punctures in 2-3 vertical rows; metepisternum slightly elongate, width/length ratio 0.81; metepisternum separated from metepimeron by distinct suture; metathoracic flight wing an ovoid, broadly rounded flap with apex extended ½ distance to metanotal hind margin; only a vestige of the M vein evident as a melanic line in the membrane of the wing vestigium. Abdomen with visible ventrites 1-5 irregularly wrinkled laterally, ventrites 3-6 with rounded depressions laterally; suture between visible ventrites 2 and 3 effaced laterally. Legs moderately gracile, tarsomeres short, metatarsomere 1 length 0.19 × metatibial length; metatarsomere 4 broad, moderately emarginated, overall length 1.2 × median tarsomere length; metatarsomere 4 with apical and subapical setae; metatarsal dorsolateral sulci shallow and lateral, tarsomere broadly convex medially. Microsculpture of head shallow to obsolete, surface glossy or with indistinct transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –3× length; pronotal disc with indistinct transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –3× length, microsculpture visible outside field of reflected light, surface glossy; pronotal median base glossy, indistinct transverse sculpticells visible among punctures; elytral disc glossy, indistinct transverse mesh laterally; elytral apex with indistinct transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –3× length; metasternum glossy, shallow indistinct transverse mesh medially; laterobasal abdominal ventrites with shallow, swirling isodiametric and transverse sculpticells. Coloration of frons rufous with a piceous cast, clypeus rufous; antennomeres 1-2 flavous, 3-4 rufoflavous, 5-11 rufobrunneous; pronotal disc dark rufous, margins concolorous; proepipleuron rufoflavous, proepisternum rufobrunneous; elytral disc dark rufous; sutural interval rufous basally, rufoflavous apically; elytral margins concolorous at humerus, deepest portion of lateral depression rufoflavous laterally; elytral epipleuron rufoflavous with brunneous cast, metepisternum rufobrunneous; abdominal visible ventrites 1-3 rufobrunneous, 4-6 rufoflavous, apical 1/6 of apical visible ventrite paler, flavous; metafemur flavous with brunneous cast; metatibia flavous with darker carina associated with longitudinal setal series.

Male genitalia. (n = 1). Aedeagal median lobe broad basally and narrowed in apical half to finely protruded apex with downturned tip (Fig. 5C); median lobe straight in euventral view; internal sac with broad melanic ventral microtrichial field but without spicules; flagellar plate large, length 0.46 × distance from parameral articulation to distal surface of downturned tip; paramere extended 0.83 × distance from parameral articulation to tip.

Female reproductive tract.

(n = 1). Bursa copulatrix columnar, broadest near midlength, length 2.3 × maximal breadth when compressed on microslide (Fig. 6B); bursal walls moderately thickened, wrinkled, and variably stained with Chlorazol Black; spermatheca obovate, broadest near apex, reservoir length about ¼ length of spermathecal duct that joins dorsal bursal wall dorsad bursal juncture with common oviduct; spermathecal gland with elongate reservoir, reservoir length subequal to spermathecal gland duct length; membranous ramus mesad basal gonocoxite 1 long, apex extended beyond midlength of basal gonocoxite (Fig. 7B); basal gonocoxite 1 with apical fringe of 3-4 setae-3 on left side, 3 plus 1 isolated apicolateral seta on right side-and only several small setae along medial surface; apical gonocoxite 2 broad basally, narrowed in apical half to subacuminate apex; apical gonocoxite with 2 subequal lateral ensiform setae that are situated on the ventral surface, 1 dorsal ensiform seta, and 2 apical nematiform setae.

Holotype male (MNHN) labeled: French Polynesia: Tahiti Nui / Mt. Mauru trail nr. pylon 3 / el. 1010 m 6-IX-2006 lot 01 / 17°38.094'S, 149°22.073'W / pyr. fog live/dead Blechnum / fern fronds J.K. Liebherr // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / anaana / J.K. Liebherr 2012 (black-bordered red label).

Allotype female (MNHN) with same date-locality label // 5 // ALLOTYPE … labeled as holotype.

Other paratypes.

SOCIETY ISLANDS: Tahiti Nui; Mauru, above pylon 4, 17°38.06'S, 149°22.15'W, 1100 m el., beating Myrsine /mossy vegetation, 05-ix-2006 lot 02, Liebherr, (CUIC, 2); pylon trail, 17°38.08'S, 149°22.07'W, 960-1010 m el., beating ferns, 06-ix-2006 lot 02, Liebherr (CUIC, 1; NMNH, 1); above pylon 4, cloud forest, 17°38.05'S, 149°22.15'W, 1060 m el., beating vegetation, 19-ix-2006 lot 01, Liebherr (CUIC, 2); 17°37.90'S, 149°22.34'W, 1100 m el., beating Weinmannia / Myrsine / Melicope , 20-ix-2006 lot 01, Liebherr (CUIC, 2).

Etymology.

The Tahitian word anaana means bright, shining, or brilliant ( Wahlroos 2002), and is used to describe the glossy dorsal body surface of beetles of this species. As a Tahitian word the epithet is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Distribution and habitat.

This species has been found from 960-1110 m elevation, with beetles living arboreally on a variety of plants; Weinmannia , Myrsine , Melicope , and ferns. Two individuals were collected in a pyrethrin fog sample made along a bank of live and dead Blechnum and Dicranopteris ferns (Fig. 2B)