Mecodema manaia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mecodema manaia |
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M. manaia
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| Mecodema manaia Seldon & Leschen, 2011
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The Mecodema manaia is a type of ground beetle that lives in the native forests of New Zealand. You can find this medium-sized beetle in the Northland area, specifically around Bream Head and Mt Manaia. It shares its forest home with another, larger beetle species called M. tewhara, but they prefer slightly different parts of the forest.
What Makes Mecodema manaia Special?
Scientists can tell Mecodema manaia apart from other similar beetles by a few key features. For example, it has special bristles (like tiny hairs) on its pronotum, which is the part of its body just behind its head. It also has a unique shape to its body and specific markings on its wing covers (elytra). These small details help experts identify this particular beetle species.
Appearance
This beetle is usually between 24.5 and 28.7 millimeters long. That's about the length of a large paperclip! Its body is entirely black, and it can be either dull (matte) or shiny (glossy). The widest part of its body, the pronotum, measures about 6.5 to 7.7 millimeters across. Its wing covers are a bit wider, around 7.8 to 9.2 millimeters.
Where It Lives
Mecodema manaia loves to live in native broadleaf forests. These are forests with trees that have wide, flat leaves. It especially likes areas where there's a lot of deep leaf litter on the ground. This leaf litter provides a perfect home and hiding spot for the beetle.
