Annual variation in the beetle fauna associated with the hard beech (Nothofagus truncata) litter of the Orongorongo Valley, New Zealand

67 beetle species represented by 1063 specimens are listed in the samples from the hard beech forest litter of the Orongorongo Valley. The samples were studied from three seasons: 1992/1993 (November-February), 1993/1994 (October-February) and 1994/1995 (October-February). The recorded beetles belong to 18 families, 3 of which are represented by a high number of specimens and/or species: Staphylinidae (13 species, 198 specimens), Dryopidae (1 species, 69 specimens) and Curculionidae (29 species, 714 specimens). Five dominant species are detected: Paratorchus tardus McColl (Staphylinidae, Osoriinae), Parnida agrestis Broun (Dryopidae), Allaorus pyriformis Broun (Curculionidae, Cossoninae), Dermothrius farinosus (Broun) (Curculionidae, Cryptorhynchini) and Geochus tibialis Broun (Curculionidae, Rhamphini). Variation in number of adults among months and years of the dominant species are presented and discussed. Number of species and specimens indicate small variation in the three collecting seasons: 92/93 (42 species, 394 specimens), 93/94 (43 species, 310 specimens) and 94/95 (34 species, 359 specimens). Beech flowering in 1994 did not show any immediate effect on adult beetle number or species richness. 49 species are newly recorded, and not listed by McColl (1974), and MOEED & MEADS (1985, 1987a) from the hard beech forests.