Mecodema godzilla

Mecodema godzilla
Dorsal view of the male specimen (holotype)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Adephaga
Family:	Carabidae
Genus:	Mecodema
Species:	M. godzilla
Binomial name
Mecodema godzilla Seldon & Buckley, 2019

Mecodema godzilla is a large-bodied ground beetle endemic to Mt Ruapehu, North Island, New Zealand. It is generally found in the areas of tussock and low-growing alpine tree line, with a few specimens now recorded on iNaturalist ^[1]

It was described from two specimens, which are housed in two different entomological collections, the Auckland Museum and Lincoln University.

Diagnosis

Can be distinguished from other North Island Mecodema species by:

1. its size (34–36 mm long and 11.5–13 mm wide);
2. elytra truncated by steep apical slope;
3. lateral carina broad and reflexed upward the entire length. ^[2]

Description

Length 34.3–36.4 mm, pronotal width 10.1–11.2 mm, elytral width 11.7–12.9 mm. Colour of head and pronotum black to glossy black, elytra matte reddish-brown to matte black, ventrally (including legs) brown to matte black. ^[2]

Natural history

Found on the scree and tussock slopes of Mt Ruapehu.

References

1. Braaten, Christine (March 7, 2023). "Mecodema godzilla". iNaturalist NZ.
2. Seldon, D.S.; Buckley, T.R. (2019). "The genus Mecodema Blanchard 1853 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) from the North Island, New Zealand" . Zootaxa. 4598 (1): 1–148. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   31716064. S2CID   164710644.