Mecodema oconnori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mecodema oconnori |
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M. oconnori
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| Mecodema oconnori Broun, 1912
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Mecodema oconnori is a large ground beetle found only in the lower half of the North Island, New Zealand. This special beetle mainly lives in native forests. You can find it on the western side of the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges. It also lives in the Manawatu Gorge and a few other places in the east.
What it Looks Like
This beetle is quite big, usually 29 to 34 millimeters long. That's about the length of a small paperclip! Its head and the top part of its body are shiny black. The wing covers, called elytra, are a duller matte black. The underside of the beetle and its legs are a dark reddish-brown or black.
Life and Habits
Mecodema oconnori is one of the few New Zealand ground beetles that scientists have studied a lot. We know quite a bit about how it lives. This beetle lives for a relatively long time. The female beetle lays only a small number of eggs each season. She is a very caring parent. The mother beetle stays with her eggs and young larvae (baby beetles). She keeps them safe in a burrow, often under logs or rocks.
See also
In Spanish: Mecodema oconnori para niños
