© The Author, 2009. Journal compilation © Australian Museum, Sydney, 2009 
Records of the Australian Museum (2009) Vol. 61: 89-92. ISSN 0067-1975 
doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.61.2009.1519 
A New Species of the 
Genus Mecyclothorax Sharp from New South Wales 
(Insecta: Coleoptera, Carabidae: Psydrinae) 
Martin Baehr 
Zoologische Staatssammlung, Miichhausenstr. 21, D-81247 Mtinchen, Germany 
martin.baehr@zsm.mwn.de 
Abstract. Mecyclothorax moorei n.sp. (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae: Psydrinae) is described from 
northeastern New South Wales, Australia. The species is closely related to Mecyclothorax punctatus 
(Sloane) which is distributed from inland southern New South Wales through Victoria into southwestern 
Western Australia. The new species and M. punctatus are distinguished from all other Australian species 
of Mecyclothorax by small size, compact body shape, and remarkably coarse punctation of the pronotum 
and elytra. 
Baehr, Martin, 2009. A new species of the genus Mecyclothorax Sharp from New South Wales (Insecta: Coleoptera, 
Carabidae: Psydrinae). Records of the Australian Museum 61(1): 89-92. 
Psydrinae (or Psydrini) is a diverse subfamily (or tribe) 
of carabid beetles, in terms of general morphology and 
habits. These beetles live in leaf litter on the ground in 
closed forests, and on or under bark of a variety of trees in 
forest, woodland, and even fairly dry areas (Baehr, 2003, 
2005, 2007). With respect to lineages and to morphology 
worldwide, the group is most diverse in Australia (Moore, 
1963; Moore etal., 1987; Baehr, 1999) and many subgroups 
have representatives in cool or even cold temperate habitats, 
not only in Australia, but also in New Zealand, southern 
South America and on a number of subantarctic islands. 
Some groups, however, transgressed the southern cool 
temperate region and moved in to tropical (mostly montane) 
regions, for example, in northern Queensland and New 
Guinea, as well as certain Pacific island groups, where they 
have undergone remarkable radiation (Baehr, 1995, 1999, 
2003, 2005, 2007; Larochelle & Lariviere, 2007; Liebherr, 
2006, 2008; Moore, 1984; Moore et al., 1987; Perrault, 
1978, 1992). A few species even occur in Africa and the 
Holarctic region. 
One of the most prolific genera of Psydrinae, in terms 
of numbers of existing species, is the genus Mecyclothorax 
Sharp, 1903 which is widely distributed in the Australian- 
Pacific area including New Guinea, New Zealand, Tahiti, and 
Hawaii, with one species even occurring on Mt. Kinabalu 
in northern Borneo (Baehr & Lorenz, 1999). In Australia, 
(including Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands and Tasmania) 
23 taxa of Mecyclothorax have so far been recorded; they 
range from Atherton and Windsor Tablelands along the east 
coast through Queensland and New South Wales, through 
Victoria, Tasmania, and southern South Australia to southern 
Western Australia. Moore (1984) and Baehr (2003) published 
partial taxonomic treatments, but a number of very si mil ar 
species are still in need of revision. 
During a recent visit to the Australian Museum, Sydney, 
and while checking the collection for additional material for 
forthcoming revisions of Australian carabid beetles, I found 
three specimens of an unusual, small, Mecyclothorax beetle. 
A decade ago the specimens had already been denoted as 
a new species by Barry Moore. Comparison with the only 
other similar Australian species, Mecyclothorax punctatus 
(Sloane, 1895), confirmed that the specimens indeed belong 
to a separate and closely related species which is described 
below. 
