Mecyclothorax consobrinus Liebherr

Liebherr, James K., 2015, The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Haleakala-, Maui: Keystone of a hyperdiverse Hawaiian radiation, ZooKeys 544, pp. 1-407 : 107-108

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

(041) Mecyclothorax consobrinus Liebherr Figs 54D, 55D, 57B, 58 A–C, 59

Mecyclothorax consobrinus Liebherr 2005b: 101.

Diagnosis.

This and Mecyclothorax sobrinus share the conditions of subquadrate elytra with dorsal setae restricted to interval 3 (Fig. 57 B–C), and large body size; in this species standardized body length 5.8-6.3 mm. The two species are considered adelphotaxa based on shared possession of a very distinctive male aedeagal median lobe that exhibits a robust, apically directed process situated immediately basad the ostial opening (Fig. 58). Mecyclothorax consobrinus can be diagnosed by the more developed dorsal microsculpture: 1, vertex with upraised isodiametric sculpticells in transverse rows; 2, pronotal disc with upraised slightly transversely stretched sculpticells, pronotal median base with granulate isodiametric and transverse sculpticells; 3, elytral disc with upraised isodiametric mesh, the apex with isodiametric mesh and swirling transverse mesh in large depression associated with 7th stria. The elytra are also more irregularly depressed in this species, in some individuals due to presence of a third dorsal elytral seta in interval 3 (Fig. 57B), and in all individuals due to the deep and irregular depression associated with the fused apical portion of striae 5 + 7, this depression in some instances also involving the apical termination of interval 6. Setal formula 2 2 2-3 2.

Identification

(n = 5). The elytral striae are shallow, with the surfaces of the discal intervals irregularly undulated along their length. These undulations in concert with the upraised microsculpture lead to a satiny appearance to the elytral cuticle. The pronotal median base tends to have an irregular surface as well, due to the presence of distinct punctures in company with many longitudinal wrinkles. The mesepisternum is profoundly punctate in this species, with ~22 punctures arrayed in 2-3 longitudinal rows across its surface. Access to a male will cement the identification of male members of a series representing this species (Fig. 58 A–C) (see below).

Male genitalia (n = 2). Aedeagal median lobe heavily sclerotized yet shaft dimensions gracile relative to length, distance from parameral articulation to tip 4.6 × depth at midlength (Fig. 58A); apex broadly flattened along apical face, adze-shaped, along with large dorsal subapical projection at basal margin of ostium (a character shared only with Mecyclothorax sobrinus ; Fig. 58 D–E) that results in a paired structure surrounding the ostium that appears not unlike a bottle opener; median lobe with apex curved rightward in ventral view, the dorsal subapical projection curved leftward (Fig. 58C); internal sac very small, short, length 0.47 × parameral articulation-tip distance, sac surface unornamented; flagellar plate very small, sclerotized ventral surface 0.24 × parameral articulation-tip distance.

Female reproductive tract (n = 1). Bursa copulatrix broad, columnar, apex rounded, ventral surface dorsad bursa copulatrix-common oviduct juncture with brownish coloration, lightly sclerotized, length 0.95 mm, breadth 0.46 mm (Fig. 54D); bursal walls translucent with thick wrinkles; gonocoxite 1 with 3-4 apical fringe setae, 1-2 thick, curved setae at apicomedial angle, and 4-5 smaller setal on medial surface (Fig. 55D); gonocoxite 2 narrowly subtriangular with narrowly rounded apex, base broadly extended laterally, 2 lateral ensiform setae, apical nematiform setae on medioventral surface at 0.65 × gonocoxite length.

Holotype.

Male (BPBM) designated by Liebherr (2005b: 107). Type locality is HI: Maui, Haleakala, Polipoli Springs area, 5000 ft. el.

Distribution and habitat.

Mecyclothorax consobrinus is known only from the Polipoli Springs area along the southwest rift of Haleakalā (Fig. 59). It has been collected from leaf litter, the sift samples often taken from areas covered with Dryopteris wallichiana (Laukahi) ferns. It is also commonly found under stones on moist ground, and one specimen was found under loose Pinus radiata bark.