Mecodema aoteanoho

Mecodema aoteanoho is a medium-sized (19–24 mm length, 5.5–7 mm width) ground beetle, the only such beetle endemic to Great Barrier Island (Aotea), Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand.^[1] Mecodema aoteanoho is a sister species to M. haunoho (Little Barrier Island) and is closely related to the Coromandel (mainland) species, M. atrox, all of which are species within the monophyletic curvidens group (4–6 setae along each side of the prothoracic carina).^[1][2][3] There are a number of other characters that distinguish M. aoteanoho from all other North Island Mecodema, especially the pattern of the striations on the elytra.^[1][2]

Mecodema aoteanoho
Conservation status
Naturally Uncommon (NZ TCS)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Adephaga
Family:	Carabidae
Genus:	Mecodema
Species:	M. aoteanoho
Binomial name
Mecodema aoteanoho Seldon & Leschen, 2011
Known native range

For a detailed description of M. aoteanoho see Seldon & Buckley 2019.

Description

Mecodema aoteanoho is dull to shiny black in colour. They are flightless: in fact they have no wings under the sutured elytra (wing cases).

Natural history

Little is known about the life cycle of Mecodema in general.

They are nocturnal predators and scavengers, feeding on a range of ground and soil-dwelling invertebrates in the native broadleaf forests of Aotea.

Conservation status

Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, this species is listed as "Naturally Uncommon" with the qualifiers of "Island Endemic" and "One Location".^[4]