| Mecodema punctellum | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Carabidae |
| Subfamily: | Broscinae |
| Genus: | Mecodema |
| Species: | M. punctellum |
| Binomial name | |
| Mecodema punctellum Broun, 1921 |
|
Mecodema punctellum is a presumed-extinct ground beetle of the family Carabidae, endemic to Stephens Island in New Zealand.
Contents |
Mecodema punctellum is a large black flightless ground beetle which reached a length of 38.5 millimetres (1.52 in) and a width of 11.7 millimetres (0.46 in).
Nothing is known about its habitat, but it is assumed that it occurred in wet forests and sought shelter under large logs. It was predacious and fed from snails.
Mecodema punctellum was last seen in 1931 and after surveys in the years 1961, 1971, 1974/5, 1976, 1981, 1990, 1996 on Stephens Island, and 1997 on D'Urville Island failed, it is now considered to be extinct. The causes for its extinction were apparently habitat destruction because there are now no large logs remaining on Stephens Island.