Key to North Island Mecodema

(includes new combinations of South Island only taxa).

1. Ventrites 3–5 (Fig. 2) with numerous setose punctures each side of midline..................................... 2

- Ventrites 3–5 without setose punctures or with 1–3 setose punctures each side of midline........................... 5

2(1). Protibia (Fig. 10) and mesotibia greatly distally expanded and distinctly inwardly curved.............................................................................................. M. antarctica Castelnau, 1867, comb. n.

- Protibiae distally expanded without inward curve, mesotibiae slender.......................................... 3

3(2). Elytra striae with numerous long setae in apical ¼............................. M. tibiale Castelnau, 1867, comb. n.

- Elytra striae with several setae in apical ¼................................................................ 4

4(3). Mesocoxa (Fig. 2) with 1 setose puncture, metacoxa with 2 setose punctures....... M. moniliferum Bates, 1867, comb. n.

- Mesocoxa with 2–3 setose punctures, metacoxa with 2–3 setose punctures.......... M. aberrans Putzeys, 1868, comb. n.

5(1). Elytra narrower than pronotum at the widest point........................................ M. chaiup Seldon, 2015

- Elytra broader than pronotum at the widest point (Fig. 1).................................................... 6

6(5). Ventrite 3 without setose punctures each side of midline..................................................... 7

- Ventrite 3 with setose punctures present each side of midline................................................ 18

7(6). Mesocoxa and metacoxa without setose punctures.......................................................... 8

- Mesocoxa and metacoxa each with at least 1 setose puncture................................................ 11

8(7). Number of submentum sclerite setae 2–4 (Little Barrier Is. only)................. M. haunoho Seldon & Leschen, 2011

- Number of submentum sclerite setae 4–6 (Fig. 8)........................................................... 9

9(8). Vertex without macrosculpture (Figs 1 and 9)............................................................. 10

- Vertex with rugose wrinkles............................................. M. parataiko Seldon & Leschen, 2011

10(9). Prothoracic carina slightly crenulated (Great Barrier Is. only)................... M. aoteanoho Seldon & Leschen, 2011

- Prothoracic carina without crenulations (smooth)............................... M. kokoromatua Seldon et al., 2012

11(8). Mesocoxa with 1–2 setose punctures, metacoxa without setose punctures...................................... 12 - Mesocoxa with 1 setose puncture (or absent), metacoxa with 1 setose puncture.................................. 16

12(11). Prothoracic carina bearing 7–10 setae along each side (Fig. 11)............................... M. atrox Britton, 1949

- Prothoracic carina bearing 2–6 setae along each side....................................................... 13

13(12). Submentum sclerite constriction narrow (Fig. 12F)........................................................ 14

- Submentum sclerite constriction broad.................................................................. 15

14(13). Prothoracic carina bearing 4–6 setae along each side.................................... M. curvidens Broun, 1915

- Prothoracic carina bearing 2–4 setae along each side........................................ M. perexiguus sp. n.

15(13). Vertexal groove (Fig. 9) narrow and shallow, broadened laterally (Poor Knights Is. only).................................................................................................. M. ponaiti Seldon & Leschen, 2011

- Vertexal groove narrow and defined along the entire length.................................. M. pluto Britton, 1949

16(11). Prothoracic carina bearing 4–6 setae along each side....................................................... 17

- Prothoracic carina bearing 2–4 setae along each side............................ M. manaia Seldon & Leschen, 2011

17(16). Mesocoxa (Fig. 2) without setose punctures (Three Kings Is. only)........................... M. regulus Britton 1964

- Mesocoxa with setose punctures (Cape Reinga to North Cape)..................... M. tenaki Seldon & Leschen, 2011

18(6). Mentum with setae present (Fig. 8)..................................................................... 19

- Mentum without setae............................................................................... 25

19(18). Pronotal disc with asetose punctures................................................... M. florae Britton, 1949

- Pronotal disc without asetose punctures................................................................. 20

20(19). Asetose punctures of elytral striae regularly spaced........................................................ 21

- Asetose punctures of elytral striae irregularly spaced....................................................... 23

21(20). Mesocoxa with 1 setose puncture........................................................... M. temata sp. n.

- Mesocoxa with 2 setose punctures..................................................................... 22

22(21). Metacoxa without setose punctures, mesepisternum (Fig. 2) with rugose wrinkles............. M. quoinense Broun, 1912

- Metacoxa with setose punctures, mesepisternum with sparse punctures..................... M. oblongum Broun, 1882

23(20). Intervals 1–4 (Fig. 1) of elytra are indistinct or absent...................................................... 24

- Intervals 1–4 of elytra are flat or weakly convex............................................... M. zonula sp. n.

24(23). Asetose punctures of elytral striae are indistinct near suture...................... M. crenaticolle Redtenbacher, 1868

- Asetose punctures of elytral striae 1–4 are long and narrow............................... M. longicolle Broun, 1923

25(18). Ventrites 3–5 with 2 setose punctures each side of midline.................................................. 26

- Ventrites 3–5 with 1 setose puncture each side of midline................................................... 27

26(25). Mesocoxa with 4 setose punctures.................................................... M. hector Britton, 1949

- Mesocoxa with 2 setose punctures....................................................... M. kokoroiho sp. n.

27(25). Vertex without microsculpture/macrosculpture............................................................ 28

- Vertex with microsculpture/macrosculpture.............................................................. 34

28(27). Vertexal groove with punctures........................................................................ 29

- Vertexal groove without punctures..................................................................... 31

29(28). Vertexal groove defined by punctures laterally only.......................................... M. undecimus sp. n.

- Vertexal groove defined by punctures along the entire length................................................ 30

30(29). Pronotum foveae are deep and broad; prosternum with microsculpture/macrosculpture.......... M. validum Broun, 1923

- Pronotum foveae are shallow and narrow; prosternum without microsculpture/macrosculpture.......... M. papake sp. n.

31(28). Pronotal carina with greater than 10 setae along each side...................................... M. argentum sp. n.

- Pronotal carina with 7–10 setae along each side........................................................... 32

32(31). Prosternum is concave................................................................ M. teparawhau sp. n.

- Prosternum is flat................................................................................... 33

33(32). Mesepisternum micropunctate.......................................................... M. ngaitahuhu sp. n.

- Mesepisternum with rugose wrinkles.................................................... M. ngaiatonga sp. n.

34(27). Metacoxa with 3 setose punctures...................................................................... 35

- Metacoxa with 2 or less setose punctures................................................................ 38

35(34). Submentum sclerite constriction narrow................................................................. 36

- Submentum sclerite constriction broad.................................................................. 37

36(35). Labrum (Fig. 9) lobate with anterior edge distinctly emarginated............................... M. dunnorum sp. n.

- Labrum rectangular with anterior edge outwardly curved and slightly emarginated................... M. tewhara sp. n.

37(35). Mesepisternum with punctures............................................................ M. godzilla sp. n.

- Mesepisternum without punctures.......................................................... M. teroroa sp. n.

38(34). Pronotal carina with 7–10 setae along each side........................................................... 39

- Pronotal carina with 11+ setae along each side............................................................ 45

39(38). Submentum sclerite constriction narrow (Fig. 12F)......................................... M. dux Britton, 1949

- Submentum sclerite constriction broad.................................................................. 40

40(39). Vertexal groove shallow and broad, without punctures........................................ M. xylanthrax sp. n.

- Vertexal groove with punctures........................................................................ 41

41(40). Vertexal groove with punctures distributed along the entire length............................................ 42

- Vertexal groove punctures distributed laterally only........................................................ 43

42(41). Submentum sclerite constriction narrow............................................. M. simplex Castelnau, 1867

- Submentum sclerite constriction broad................................................ M. scitulum Broun, 1894 43(41). Proepisternum (Fig. 2) micropunctate....................................................... M. atuanui sp. n.

- Proepisternum without microsculpture.................................................................. 44

44(43). Vertex with fine lines forming an isodiametric pattern........................................ M. rusticulus sp. n.

- Vertex with a few scattered punctures, surface otherwise smooth............................. M. genesispotini sp. n.

45(38). Elytral intervals without microsculpture................................................................. 46

- Elytral interval with microsculpture lineate.............................................................. 47

46(45). Anterior metaventrite process (Fig. 2) with the carina width broad the entire length.................... M. kipjac sp. n.

- Anterior metaventrite process with the carina width narrow the entire length.................... M. wharekahika sp. n.

47(46). Vertexal groove without punctures......................................................... M. jacinda sp. n.

- Vertexal groove with punctures........................................................................ 48

48(47). Prosternum with transverse lines............................................................. M. mohi sp. n.

- Prosternum without microsculpture..................................................................... 49

49(48). Elytral interval 1 (Fig. 1) extended basally to scutellum..................................................... 50

- Elytral interval 1 extended to basal margin only....................................... M. spiniferum Broun, 1880

50(49). Mesepisternum with sparse punctures................................................ M. oconnori Broun, 1912

- Mesepisternum with numerous punctures................................................................ 51

51(50). Elytral intervals 7–9 strongly convex, 7 th strial setal pattern with 3–4 setose punctures in posterior ½....... M. tuhoe sp. n.

- Elytral intervals 5–9 moderately convex, 7 th strial setal pattern with 5–7 setose punctures in posterior ½................................................................................................... M. yconomus sp. n.