Mecodema godzilla, Seldon & Buckley, 2019

Seldon, David S. & Buckley, Thomas R., 2019, The genus Mecodema Blanchard 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) from the North Island, New Zealand, Zootaxa 4598 (1), pp. 1-148 : 51-53

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6BA5F086-1014-46B5-B6D5-77FE0CD07AEC

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5678382

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2FC6F353-1365-4F0B-898A-A943EEB96523

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:2FC6F353-1365-4F0B-898A-A943EEB96523

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Mecodema godzilla
status

sp. nov.

Mecodema godzilla View in CoL sp. n.

Figure 29 View FIGURE 29 .

Diagnosis: Can be distinguished from other North Island Mecodema species by: 1, its size (34–36 mm long and 11.5–13 mm wide); 2, elytra truncated by steep apical slope; 3, lateral carina broad and reflexed upward the entire length.

Description: Length 34.3–36.4 mm, pronotal width 10.1–11.2 mm, elytral width 11.7–12.9 mm. Colour of head and pronotum black to glossy black, elytra matte reddish-brown to matte black, ventrally (including legs) brown to matte black.

Head: Very broad, slightly deflected laterally. Vertex smooth, except for very fine lines forming an isodiametric pattern laterally; vertexal groove defined by shallow depressions and punctures laterally ( Fig. 29 View FIGURE 29 ); small supraorbital puncture bearing 4–5 setae; supraorbital grooves absent; frons ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ) medially convex with a large and shallow depression each side of midline, grooves may be present; frontoclypeal suture and tentorial pits indistinct; anterior area of clypeus with 3 shallow and broad grooves, 1 large setose puncture each side and 1 medial puncture all bearing 2 setae. Labrum rectangular, anterior edge outwardly curved with 2 proximate central setae, 2 setae each side evenly spaced. Mentum lobes rounded ( Fig. 12F View FIGURE 12 ), median process short and very broad, upward angle absent, very strongly indentate ( Fig. 12A View FIGURE 12 ); mentum setae absent. Submentum sclerite constriction broad with 4–6 setae evenly spaced. Stipes with 2 basal setae. Gula pits small, suture indistinctly impressed, gula flat with fine transverse lines. Gena ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ) with fine wrinkles forming an isodiametric pattern across entire area.

Prothorax: Prothoracic carina ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ) broad the entire length (very broad and flattened at shoulder), slightly crenulated with 8–10 setae each side, extended beyond anterior angle; posterior lateral sinuation evidently carinate, angled outward ( Fig. 29 View FIGURE 29 ); pronotum broad and flat but deflected laterally, overall shape broadly cordate; midline slightly impressed, anterior medial triangular impression and posterior medial diamond-shaped impression present, disc with closely-spaced transverse wrinkles laterally, anterior with a rolled-edge and fine-line microsculpture; pronotal foveae broad and deep (causing pronotum to appear pinched, especially at midline); anterior and posterior edges curved. Prosternum ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) concave with fine transverse lines laterally; proepisternum without microsculpture. Procoxal setae absent; protibia distally expanded and shovel-like ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ).

Elytra: Broad and moderately deflected (widest at midpoint), shortened with steep slope to apex, overall shape ovate; humeral angle evenly convex ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 ); basal margin slightly curved and gently sloped to base, interval 1 extended to base; lateral carina broad and reflexed upward the entire length, extended to humeral angle; humerus with 2–3 setose punctures within angle ( Fig. 29 View FIGURE 29 ); suture slightly impressed; striae 1–4 with very small, regularly spaced asetose punctures, slightly increased in size laterally; intervals 1–4 flat, intervals 5–9 moderately convex; intervals with strong transverse lines, especially laterally; 7 th strial setal pattern with 3–4 setose punctures in anterior ½, 4 setose punctures in posterior ½, setose punctures small.

Ventral surface: Mesepisternum and metepisternum with wrinkles and sparse punctures; setose punctures present on mesocoxa (2) and metacoxa (3). All abdominal ventrites ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) finely lineate, ventrites 1–3 with obsolescent punctures; ventrites 3–5 with 1 setose puncture each side of midline; ventrite 6 setae present: ♂ with setose punctures absent and a straight apical edge; ♀ with 3–4 setose punctures each side, 2 proximate medially, 2 close to junction of blunt-rounded apical edge and curve anterad; lateral foveae absent. Anterior metaventrite process a long pointed triangle with a well-defined and narrow carina the entire length.

Male genitalia: Apical portion of penis lobe asymmetrically hooked with a deflection to right of vertical axis only pronounced (moderately) in dorsal process (VV); ventral process a short and bluntly rounded point (perpendicular to shaft), apex curved flatly upward to form the dorsal process that is a short and broad hook with a brief and bluntly recurve to shaft ( Fig. 29 View FIGURE 29 PL); penis lobe shaft is narrow the entire length, ventral edge moderately curved to right especially apically (VV); overall length of penis lobe slightly curved ventrally (LV) ( Fig. 16A View FIGURE 16 ). Structures of the endophallus ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ): lateral form of the apex of the central spicule rounded; dorsal form of the apex of the central spicule greatly expanded with projection; setal (scales) coverage of the apical plate extensive (76–100%); size of left setose flange small; size of right setose flange absent. Left paramere basal lobe ovate and relatively small with very steep slope (90°) to arm; arm short and broad, narrowed towards terminal lobe ( Fig. 29 View FIGURE 29 LP); terminal lobe short and narrow, only a few very short setae at apex; medium length comb of setae at midarm, sparse short setae extend along apical ⅓ of ventral edge; ventral edge curved. Right paramere a relatively broad triangle, gradually narrowed to apex, a double row of long setae extended along apical ¾ of ventral edge ( Fig. 29 View FIGURE 29 RP).

Female genitalia: Basal gonocoxite 1 short and broad, apically flattened, a few deep broad grooves present on ventral surface, internal dorso-lateral carina with 2 setae. Gonocoxite 2 ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ) short and broad, squared triangular, exterior edge straight (90°), apically curved upward. Ramus long and narrow.

Comments: The left and right parameres of M. godzilla and M. validum (Mt Ruapehu type locality) are very similar, but the apical portion of the aedeagus is significantly different.

Distribution: New Zealand, North Island, Mt Ruapehu, Lake Surprise.

Holotype: AMNZ male labelled. Ruapehu 7000–8000ft 18.IV.1964 D. Faram [hw] / M.B. Paterson Collection / HOLOTYPE Mecodema godzilla n. sp. design. DS Seldon, TR Buckley 2018 [red label] / AMNZ 40839 View Materials [green label] .

Paratype: LUNZ female labelled. NEW ZEALAND , TO, Mt Ruapehu, L. Surprise 1370m 15.xii.85 / R.M. Emberson P. Syrett under log Nothofagus solandri / LUNZ00002704 View Materials .

Etymology: Named for the giant mythical monster of Japan. Godzilla is a non-latinised word so spelling remains invariant.

AMNZ

Auckland Institute and Museum

LUNZ

Lincoln University Entomology Research Museum

TO

University of Turin

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Coleoptera

Family

Carabidae

Tribe

Broscini

Genus

Mecodema

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