Mecodema florae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mecodema florae |
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| Dorsal view of Mecodema florae | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: |
Arthropoda
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| Class: |
Insecta
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| Order: |
Coleoptera
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| Family: |
Carabidae
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| Tribe: |
Broscini
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| Genus: |
Mecodema
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| Species: |
M. florae
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| Binomial name | |
| Mecodema florae Britton, 1949
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Mecodema florae is a special type of ground beetle that lives only in New Zealand. This beetle was first described by a scientist named Britton in 1949. It's one of the few Mecodema beetles found on both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.
In the North Island, you can find it from Mt Taranaki in the west to Boundary Stream Mainland Island in Hawke's Bay. Its range then stretches south from the Taupo Line to Buller and northwest Nelson in the South Island.
What Does Mecodema florae Look Like?
This beetle is quite small, usually between 17.5 and 19.5 millimeters long. That's about the length of a small paperclip! Its body is mostly a matte (not shiny) black color. Sometimes, it can also be a reddish-brown.
The underside of the beetle is usually a darker reddish-brown. Its widest part, across its wing covers (elytra), measures between 4.7 and 6.1 millimeters.
Where Does Mecodema florae Live?
Mecodema florae is a native to New Zealand. This means it naturally belongs there and isn't found anywhere else in the world. It lives in different habitats across both the North and South Islands.
Scientists are still learning more about its exact habitats and how it lives in the wild. More research is needed to understand its full story!
See also
In Spanish: Mecodema florae para niños
