Mecodema howittii

Mecodema howittii is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, endemic to New Zealand. It is restricted to Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury Region of the South Island, where it is the largest carabid species. Due to a contraction of its historical range, it is currently classified as a species in decline under the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). M. howittii is nocturnal and predatory, most commonly found beneath logs in forest and grassland habitats during spring and summer.