Mecyclothorax kubor Baehr, 2008

Liebherr, James K., 2017, Review of Mecyclothorax Sharp (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Moriomorphini) from Papua New Guinea, with Descriptions of Five New Species, The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (4), pp. 679-703 : 686

2. Mecyclothorax kubor Baehr, 2008 ( Fig. 32 )

Mecyclothorax kubor Baehr 2008: 139 ; Baehr 2014: 126.

Diagnosis. This species, and both M. kavanaughi and M. sedlaceki , are characterized by the third antennomeres with the apical half bearing fine short setae in addition to the larger apical ring setae. Mecyclothorax kubor and some individuals of M. kavanaughi also exhibit five dorsal elytral setae in the third interval, although M. kavanaughi beetles possess setose fifth elytral intervals, whereas that interval is glabrous in M. kubor . Mecyclothorax sedlaceki differs from both through the presence of only two dorsal elytral setae in the third interval. Mecyclothorax kubor is also characterized by the presence of a parascutellar seta, whereas this seta is lacking in individuals of M. sedlaceki and variably present or absent among individuals of M. kavanaughi . Body length is 4.4 mm ( Baehr 2008).

Distribution and Habitat. The unique holotype of this species was collected at 3,590 m elevation on Mt. Kinkain in the Kubor Range, Western Highlands Province ( Fig. 32 ). The specimen was collected by W. Vink, a botanist at the National Herbarium, University of Leiden, during the herbarium’ s 1963 Kubor Range Expedition (Steenis- Kruseman 1973). At 3,600 m elevation on Mt. Kinkain, the vegetation on less peaty substrates is natural alpine grassland dominated by tussock grasses of the genera Deschampsia Palisot de Beauvois , Poa L., and Festuca L., while on more poorly drained, peaty soils, a low heath-like formation occurs that includes, among others, cushionforming species of Potentilla L., Astelia Banks and Solander , and Gentiana L. ( Hitchcock 1964).

Figures

Fig. 32. Localities in Papua New Guinea from which Mecyclothorax spp. were collected and the particular species collected at each locality. 1 = Mt. Capella — M. baehri; 2 = Mt. Fugilil — M. brispex and M. medioconstrictus; 3 = Kubor Range — M. kubor; 4 = Mt. Wilhelm — M. sedlaceki; 5 = Finisterre Range — M. kavanaughi; 6 = Mt. Missim — M. gressitti; 7 = Mt. Kaindi, Edie Creek and Bulldog Road — M. andersoni, M. cuccodoroi, and M. loebli; 8 = Mt. Amungwiwa—M. amingwiwae.