Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Carabidae

(059) Mecyclothorax krushelnyckyi sp. n. Figs 78B, 79

Diagnosis .

This species (Fig. 78B) can be diagnosed from the other three small-bodied Mecyclothorax ovipennis group species with setal formula 2 2 2 2- Mecyclothorax nubicola (Fig. 78A), Mecyclothorax pusillus (Fig. 78C), and Mecyclothorax rusticus (Fig. 78D)-by: 1, the more narrowly constricted pronotal base; MPW/BPW = 1.54; 2, subellipsoid elytra, with the margin broadly rounded posterad the humerus, and the lateral margins evenly convex laterally; 3, elytra broad relative to forebody, with MEW/MPW = 1.51 and MEW/MHW = 2.15; and 4, the glossy upper body surface with little-developed microsculpture. The vertex is glossy, with obsolete transverse sculpticells, breadth 2 × length in depressions. The pronotal disc is glossy, with obsolete transverse microsculpture visible in angled light; the pronotal base with obsolete transverse microsculpture over portions of the cuticle. The elytral disc is also glossy, with a transverse mesh, sculpticell breadth 2 –3× length, restricted to the lateral and apical areas. Standardized body length 3.95 mm.

Description

(n = 1). Head capsule with frontal grooves broad near clypeus, lateral carina to anterior supraorbital seta; dorsal surface of neck slightly concave; eyes moderately developed, ocular ratio = 1.46, ocular lobe ratio = 0.78; labral anterior margin very shallowly emarginate apically; antennae filiform, antennomeres 2-3 with only 1-2 setae each along shafts; mentum tooth with sides acute, apex rounded. Pronotum transverse, MPW/PL = 1.28; hind angle sharply obtuse, lateral margin subparallel for short distance anterad angle; median base slightly depressed, ~10 punctures each side, punctures more elongate at juncture with disc; basal margin convexly expanded between laterobasal depressions; median longitudinal impression shallow, finely incised; anterior transverse impression deep, finely incised, area behind impression depressed relative to disc; anterior callosity convexly upraised, glossy; front angles slightly projected, rounded; pronotal apical width slightly greater than basal width, APW/BPW = 1.04; lateral marginal depression very narrow, edge appearing beaded except at front angle where margin is slightly broader; laterobasal depression narrow, continuous with lateral depression. Proepisternum with 5 minute punctures along hind marginal groove; prosternal process with narrow median impression, lateral margins broadly beaded between coxae. Elytra with disc flat, sides distinctly sloped; basal groove distinctly recurved to tightly rounded humeri, base relatively broad, MEW/HuW = 1.98; parascutellar seta absent; parascutellar striole with 4 punctures, striole shallow between punctures; sutural interval coplanar with lateral intervals basally, upraised apically; sutural and 2nd striae of subequal depth from base to apex; discal striae 1-5 minutely punctate, the punctures joined by depressed stria medially, striae 4-5 composed of isolated punctures, inner intervals slightly convex, lateral intervals flat; 8th interval slightly more convex than fused apical portion of striae 5 + 7; 2 dorsal elytral setae at 0.24 –0.30× and 0.57 × elytral length, setal impressions moderate, spanning 2/3 of interval 3; apical and subapical setae present; lateral elytral setae arranged in anterior series of 7 setae and posterior series of 6 setae; elytral marginal depression narrow from humerus to midlength, gradually reduced to beadlike margin at subapical sinuation; subapical sinuation shallow, more abruptly incurved anteriorly. Mesepisternum smooth; metepisternal width to length ratio 0.70; metepisternum/metepimeron suture distinct. Abdomen with irregular lateral wrinkles on ventrites 1-5; suture between ventrites 2 and 3 complete; apical female ventrite with 4 equally spaced setae plus a median trapezoid of 4 subequal, short setae. Legs-metatarsomere 1/metatibial length ratio = 0.19; metatarsomere 4 length along outer lobe 1.33 × medial tarsomere length, apical and subapical setae present; metatarsal dorsolateral sulci shallow, narrow, median area broad. Microsculpture of metasternum a shallow transverse mesh; laterobasal abdominal ventrites with swirling isodiametric and transverse microsculpture. Coloration of vertex rufobrunneous with piceous cast; antennomeres 1-3 flavous, 4-11 darker, more brunneous; pronotal disc rufopiceous; pronotal lateral margins very narrowly and base and apex rufoflavous; proepipleuron flavous, proepisternum rufopiceous; elytral disc rufopiceous, sutural interval rufous in basal half, rufoflavous in apical half, lateral marginal depression and apex of interval 9 rufoflavous; elytral epipleuron dorsally flavous, ventrally rufoflavous, metepisternum rufopiceous; abdomen with ventral ventrites 1-5 and base of 6 rufopiceous, apical 1/3 of ventrite 6 flavous; metafemur flavous; metatibia flavous, only tibial spines brunneous.

Female reproductive tract. The lone female holotype was not dissected.

Holotype.

Female (UHIM) labeled: HI:Maui I. Haleakala / Kahikinui F.R. 2408 m el. / 20°41.93'N, W156°12.40', W / 24-XI-2008 P. Krushelnycky / Berlese shrubland litter // coll PDJ 627 / spec/lot# PKSP1463 // Mecyclothorax apicalis ? (PDK handwriting) // HOLOTYPE / Mecyclothorax / krushelnyckyi / Liebherr / det. J.K. Liebherr 2015 (black-margined red label).

Etymology.

This species is named to honor Dr. Paul Krushelnycky’s numerous, important discoveries of Mecyclothorax and Blackburnia species in the high elevation habitats of Haleakalā .

Distribution and habitat.

Mecyclothorax krushelnyckyi is one of the few species known to occupy Haleakalā’s south slope (Fig. 79); the others known to do so being Mecyclothorax giffardi (Fig. 56), Mecyclothorax cordithorax (Fig. 89), and Mecyclothorax iteratus (Fig. 106). The single specimen was collected in a sift sample of shrubland litter at 2408 m elevation.