Megadromus speciosus

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Megadromus speciosus
Megadromus speciosus in Marlborough, New Zealand.jpg
Megadromus speciosus found in Marlborough, New Zealand
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Carabidae
Genus: Megadromus
Species:
M. speciosus
Binomial name
Megadromus speciosus
Johns, 2007
Megadromus speciosus distribution.png
Observations of Megadromus speciosus from iNaturalist (as of August, 2024).

Megadromus speciosus is a species of ground beetle (family Carabidae), endemic to New Zealand and of high conservation interest. [1]

Contents

Distribution and habitat

Megadromus speciosus (Picton ground beetle) is found in just a few forest remnants, in northern South Island New Zealand. [1] [2] The species is typically found under stones and logs, and in areas with deep leaf litter. [2] The habitat is heavily influenced by the presence of wild pigs, which have caused extensive damage to the soil surface and understorey vegetation, particularly at Port Underwood [2] . The species also shows a preference for undisturbed native vegetation. [2] As of 2010 Megadromus speciosus has the conservation status of 'relic' in the category 'At Risk' in the NZTCS. [3]

The species is confined to isolated populations in the Marlborough Sounds, northern South Island, New Zealand. [2] Specifically, it is found at Port Underwood Saddle and Arapawa Island. [2] The Arapawa Island population appears to be more secure, while the Port Underwood population is under threat from habitat degradation. [2] A historical report suggested the presence of the species on Blumine Island, but this was not confirmed in recent surveys. [2] Niche modelling used to study the distribution of this genus found that 50% of the predicted range of Megadromus speciosus is within the New Zealand protected areas network. [4]

Morphology

Megadromus speciosus is described as a large, stout-bodied beetle with a length of 23-26 mm. [2] The dorsal surface of the head and pronotum is greenish, while the elytra have a coppery-purple sheen. [2] Male genitalia are distinct, with an enlarged mesotibia and a forked left paramere. [2] The morphological conservatism within the genus makes species identification challenging without examining genitalia. [2]

Taxonomy

Megadromus speciosus was described in 2007 by Peter Johns from specimens collected from Nothofagus forest near Picton (Port Underwood). [1] The genus Megadromus is part of the Carabidae family, which comprises large, flightless beetles. [2]

Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI and ND1 genes), show that M.speciosus is distinct from other related species, with significant sequence divergence. [2]

Conservation status

Megadromus speciosus is classified as range-restricted and conservation-dependent under the New Zealand threat classification system. [1] [2] . The species is formally protected under the Wildlife Amendment Act (1980) and has been included in various conservation ranking systems due to its vulnerability to habitat modification and introduced predators. [2]

The primary threat to Megadromus speciosus is habitat degradation caused by wild pigs, especially at Port Underwood Saddle [2] . The pigs have extensively damaged the soil surface and understorey vegetation, which are critical for the species' survival. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Johns, Peter Malcolm (2007). "New Genera and Species of Rare New Zealand Endemic Carabids. (Coleoptera: Carabidae)". Privately Published.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pawson, Stephen M.; Armstrong, Karen F. (February 2007). "A morphological and molecular comparison of island and mainland populations of Megadromus speciosus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand". New Zealand Entomologist. 30 (1): 13–23. Bibcode:2007NZEnt..30...13P. doi:10.1080/00779962.2007.9722147. ISSN   0077-9962.
  3. "NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
  4. Fuller, Lauren; Johns, Peter M.; Ewers, Robert M. (2013). "Assessment of protected area coverage of threatened ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae): a new analysis for New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Ecology. 37 (2): 184–192. ISSN   0110-6465.