''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.
''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).
There are a number of other characters that distinguish ''M. aoteanoho'' from all other North Island ''
Mecodema
''Mecodema'' is a genus of large flightless ground beetle (Carabidae) endemic to New Zealand. The genus is very diverse in comparison to the other three New Zealand genera ('' Diglymma'', '' Oregus'', '' Orthoglymma'') within the subtribe Noth ...
'', especially the pattern of the striations on the elytra.
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.
References
aoteanoho
Beetles of New Zealand
Beetles described in 2011
{{Carabidae-stub