Mecodema jacinda

Mecodema jacinda
Dorsal view of specimen
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Adephaga
Family:	Carabidae
Genus:	Mecodema
Species:	M. jacinda
Binomial name
Mecodema jacinda Seldon & Buckley, 2019

Mecodema jacinda is a large-bodied ground beetle endemic to Maungatautari Sanctuary, Waikato, New Zealand. It is the largest species of Mecodema found on Maungatautari, which also has the medium-sized M. curvidens inhabiting the forest. It is named after former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. ^[1]

Diagnosis

Differing from all other North Island Mecodema species by:

1. vertex smooth, vertexal groove defined by a few obsolescent punctures;
2. the pronotal carina broad the entire length with 8–12 setae each side;
3. interval 7 strongly convex in apical ⅓ (very distinctive);
4. the shape of the apical portion of the penis lobe. ^[2]

Description

Length 29–36 mm, pronotal width 7.9–10.2 mm, elytral width 9.1–11.6 mm. Colour of entire body matte to glossy black (especially pronotum). ^[2]

Natural history

Relatively common and can be found under logs and rocks in native forest.

References

1. "Jacinda's lichen-ness". Newsroom. 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
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): zootaxa.4598.1.1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4598.1.1. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   31716064. S2CID   164710644.