The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of Haleakala-, Maui: Keystone of a hyperdiverse Hawaiian radiation
Author
Liebherr, James K.
text
ZooKeys
2015
544
1
407
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.544.6074
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.544.6074
1313-2970-544-1
C5978BD0145B40F8ACDEB27371B7B9A4
C5978BD0145B40F8ACDEB27371B7B9A4
Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae
(060)
Mecyclothorax pusillus Sharp
Figs 62L, 74E, 76
G-H
, 78C, 80
Mecyclothorax pusillus
Sharp 1903
: 243;
Britton 1948b
: 147.
Diagnosis.
Of the four
Mecyclothorax ovipennis
group species from
Haleakala
with setal formula 2 2 2 2-
Mecyclothorax nubicola
(Fig. 78A),
Mecyclothorax krushelnyckyi
(Fig. 78B),
Mecyclothorax rusticus
(Fig. 78D), and this species (Fig. 78C)-
Mecyclothorax pusillus
can be diagnosed by: 1, pronotal base moderately broad, MPW/BPW = 1.39-1.48; 2, pronotal hind angles projected, obtuse, the lateral margin subparallel for twice the distance of the basal articulatory socket; 3, elytra narrow relative to head, MEW/MHW = 1.85-1.93, with sides subparallel, MEW/HUW = 1.84-1.90, the humerus tightly rounded; 4, frons and vertex with evident shallow transverse-mesh microsculpture, sculpticell breadth 2
-3x
length. Standardized body length 3.3-3.9 mm.
Identification
(n = 5). The head is broad with large eyes that cover much of the ocular lobe, ocular lobe ratio = 0.84-0.88, though the broad frons results in an ocular ratio lower than might be expected based on the eye size; ocular ratio = 1.45-1.48. Antennomeres 5-11 are stout, relatively short, of moniliform conformation similar to observed in
Mecyclothorax nubicola
. The pronotum is slightly transverse, MPW/PL = 1.19-1.29, with the base moderately constricted; MPW/BPW = 1.43-1.51. The pronotal median base is glossy due to the lack of microsculpture, but irregularly punctate with ~20 punctures each side, the punctures more elongate at juncture with disc. Elytral intervals 2-4 are nearly flat on the disc, though interval 2 is convex to the elytral apex, the sutural and 2nd striae of subequal depth. The discal striae 2-4 are discontinuous, with their punctures isolated for portions of the strial length. The pronotal and elytral microsculpture are extremely similar to that observed in
Mecyclothorax rusticus
: 1, pronotal disc with
obsolete
transverse mesh, glossy medially, with sculpticell breadth 2
-3x
length laterally; 2, elytral disc with shallow isodiametric and transverse sculpticells in transverse rows, the elytral apex with an isodiametric mesh.
Male genitalia (n = 1). Aedeagal median lobe slender, distance between parameral articulation and tip 5.5
x
depth at midlength (Fig. 76G), lobe angled basally with median shaft straight; apex distinctly downturned, tip rounded; median lobe distinctly curved rightward toward apex in ventral view (Fig. 76H), right and left margins slightly convergent to blunt tip in this view; internal sac with fine spicules only, flagellar plate (visible in ventral view, Fig. 76H) short, length 0.34
x
parameral articulation-tip distance.
Female reproductive tract (n = 1). Bursa copulatrix columnar with rounded apex, length 0.46 mm, breadth 0.17 mm (Fig. 62L); bursal walls translucent with thin wrinkles, apex thinner, more diaphanous; gonocoxite 1 with 3 apical fringe setae, the middle seta larger, and 3-4 smaller setae along medial surface (Fig. 74E); gonocoxite 2 falcate with tightly rounded apex, base broadly extended laterally, 2 lateral ensiform setae with apical seta broader, apical nematiform setae on medial surface at 0.69
x
gonocoxite length.
Lectotype.
Male (BMNH) hereby designated, labeled:
Thriscothorax pusillus
Type D.S. Haleakala Perkins 254 // Type // Hawaiian Is. Perkins 1904-336. //LECTOTYPE
Thriscothorax pusillus
Sharp J.K. Liebherr 1998 (black-margined red label).
Distribution and habitat.
Mecyclothorax pusillus
is the second of
Perkin's
19th Century high-elevation
Mecyclothorax
triplet, with all of his records from his collecting activities made on his trips to the summit; 1830-3050 m elevation (Fig. 80). A single recent record (Kalahaku Overlook, 2870 m elevation, P.D. Krushelnycky, BPBM) places a lower-elevation population of this species in sympatry with Argentine Ant (
Liebherr and Krushelnycky 2007
).
Figure 80. Recorded geographic distributions of
Mecyclothorax ovipennis
group species.