code: @Pure
  	public Class<? extends MapElement> getMapElementType() {
  		if (this.elementType != null) {
  			return this.elementType;
  		}
  		try {
  			return fromESRI(getShapeElementType());
  		} catch (IllegalArgumentException exception) {
  			//
  		}
  		return null;
  	}
docs: Replies the type of map element replied by this reader.
  
  <p>This function retrieve the element type from the header with
  {@link #getShapeElementType()} and matches it to the GIS API
  with {@link #fromESRI(ShapeElementType)}.
  
  @return the type of map element; or <code>null</code> if unsupported.
  @since 4.0