Mecyclothorax profondestriatus Perrault, 1989: 66

Liebherr, James K., 2013, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Tahiti, Society Islands, ZooKeys 322, pp. 1-170 : 91-92

73. Mecyclothorax profondestriatus Perrault, 1989: 66

Identification.

This species is distinguished by the narrowly ovoid elytra with very deep elytral striae, the lateral striae 7 and 8 actually more deeply incised than the dis cal striae. All striae are deeply impressed to the elytral basal groove, and striae 1 + 2 are basally fused from the basal groove to a level halfway along the parascutellar striole (Fig. 38B). The third elytral interval bears two dorsal setae. The anterior supraorbital seta is polymorphically present or absent, with two of the four specimens unilaterally exhibiting the anterior supraorbital seta; setal formula (1-2)121. The frons bears an evident isodiametric mesh, the sculpticell margins shallow but traceable outside areas of reflected light. The pronotal disc is covered with a very shallow elongate transverse mesh, those sculpticells traceable outside areas of reflected light having breadth 4 × length. The convex discal elytral intervals are glossy. The male aedeagal median lobe is broad for much of its length then precipitously narrowed dorsoventrally apicad the ostium (Fig. 40D). The apex is narrowly downturned at the tip, resulting in an oblique apical face. Standardized body length 3.4-3.7 mm.

Distribution and habitat.

This species is known from the type series of three specimens collected on Mont Teatara, 900-1100 m elevation, plus a fourth specimen collected in a 2006 pyrethrin fog sample of a moss-covered Weinmannia log, 1080-1100 m elevation.