Mecyclothorax maninapopoti, Liebherr, James K., 2013

Liebherr, James K., 2013, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Tahiti, Society Islands, ZooKeys 322, pp. 1-170 : 99-100

83. Mecyclothorax maninapopoti sp. n.

Diagnosis.

This is the broadest-bodied species (Fig. 42B) of the Mecyclothorax globosus group to exhibit two supraorbital seta and no dorsal elytral setae, setal formula 2101. The pronotum is robust, with the lateral margins only slightly sinuate anterad the obtuse hind angles. The elytra are broadly ovate, MEW/HuW = 2.13. The discal elytral striae are narrow with elongate punctures along their length, the punctures only slightly expanding strial breadth. The discal elytral intervals are covered with transverse-line microsculpture, the lines closely packed and only occasionally connected in association with elongate sculpticells. Standardized body length 4.0 mm. Head with shallow, broad frontal grooves, their surface undulated along their length; eyes moderately convex, ocular ratio 1.44, ocular lobe gently protruded from gena, ocular lobe ratio 0.81; antennae short, apical segments nearly moniliform, antennomere 8 length 1.55 × maximal breadth. Pronotum constricted basally, MPW/BPW = 1.54, but lateral sinuation anterad hind angles very brief; median base slightly depressed relative to disc, with ~20 distinct, fine punctures each side on the smooth surface, the punctures elongate along discal margin; anterior transverse impression shallow and broad at the midline, finely incised, deep for outer ¾ of each side; anterior callosity a narrow, convex roll; front angles slightly protruded, narrowly rounded; lateral marginal depression very narrow, margin beaded, only slightly broader inside front angle; laterobasal depression a smooth, U-shaped expansion of lateral depression, the surface only slightly irregular. Elytra broadly ovate, the sides subparallel at midlength, disc convex, the sides distinctly sloped to near vertical juncture with lateral marginal depression; elytral striae 1-6 well incised, associated intervals moderately convex, stria 7 shallower and broader though still with undulations along length; striae 1-5 shallow to obsolete basally (varying unilaterally), not deeply joined to elytral basal groove (surface oriented perpendicular to viewpoint), striae 6-7 obsolete basally; humeri subangulate, the juncture of basal broove and lateral margin tightly rounded; lateral marginal depression narrow throughout length, margin upturned; eighth interval upraised above stria 7 from subapical sinuation to apex, its surface convex, slightly bulging laterally; lateral elytral setae 7 + 5. Microsculpture of frons an obsolete transverse mesh, the sculpticells more visible near transverse wrinkles; pronotal disc with evident transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –4× length. Coloration of head rufous with a piceous cast, clypeus and frons rufous; antennomere 1 flavous, 2-3 rufoflavous, 4-11 rufobrunneous; pronotal disc rufous with a piceous cast, anterior callosity, lateral margins narrowly, and median base broadly, rufous; elytral discal intervals dark rufous (paler than pronotal disc) with a silvery metallic reflection, sutural interval concolorous but scutellum and parascutellar striole rufous; lateral marginal depression narrowly rufobrunneous; femora rufoflavous, tibiae rufoflavous with brunneous cast.

Holotype female (MNHN) labeled: French Polynesia: Tahiti Nui / Mt. Marau road el. 1315 m / 10-IX-2006 lot 05 / 17°36.433'S, 149°32.333'W / pyr. fog mossy Weinmannia / w/ Astelia D.A. Polhemus // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / maninapopoti / J.K. Liebherr 2013 (black-bordered red label).

Etymology.

The species epithet compounds the Tahitian words mānina, or smooth, with popoti - i.e., roach or cockroach - signifying the smooth elytral striae of this beetle.

Distribution and habitat.

This is a species of Mont Marau, known from 1315 m elevation. The lone specimen was included in a pyrethrin fog sample from moss-covered Weinmannia vegetation that also produced one specimen each of Mecyclothorax poria and Mecyclothorax marau .