Proptomaphaginus apodemus Szymczakowski 1969

Peck, Stewart B. & Cook, Joyce, 2014, A review of the small carrion beetles and the round fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), with descriptions of two new genera and 61 new species., Insecta Mundi 2014 (397), pp. 1-76 : 6-7

Proptomaphaginus apodemus Szymczakowski 1969

Figures 3, 4

Proptomaphaginus apodemus Szymczakowski 1969: 88 ; Decu 1973: 367; Peck 1970: 242; Peck et al. 1998: 159; Peck 1999: 609. Holotype in ZMPA (Institut Zoologique de l’Académie Polonaise des Sciences, Warsaw, Poland); not seen. Type locality: Cueva Humboldt, Punta Caguanes, Las Villas, Cuba.

Diagnosis. Total length 1.4–1.9 mm. Reddish brown; antennal base and tip of antennomere XI yellowish; pubescence golden yellow, short and dense, recumbent. Antennae compact, short. Eyes somewhat reduced. Pronotum wider than long, lateral margins almost straight; posterior angles about right, very slightly drawn out; with moderately dense, transverse strigae. Elytra weakly tapering posteriorly; apex of each elytron broadly truncate, very slightly concave; with oblique strigae. Fully winged. Mesosternal carina rather low and angular in side view. Metasternum with median groove over its whole length. Aedeagus ( Fig. 3, 4 ) thick, symmetrical, nearly straight; with paired, inwardly curved apical projections ( Fig. 3 ). Parameres ( Fig. 4 ) fused to median lobe, narrow, not reaching apex of median lobe; each bearing two apical setae and two others widely spaced before apex.

Distribution. Known only from Cuba; widely distributed. Previously known localities, from Szymczakowski (1969), Peck et al. (1998), Peck (1999), are: Cuba. Camagüey Province. Cueva del Agua (de los lagos). Cueva del Indio. Cueva de la Lechuza. Ciudad de La Habana Province. Cueva de la Virgen. Habana Province. Cueva del Cura. Isla de Juventud Province. Cueva del Abono. Las Villas Province, Punta Caguanes, Humboldt Cave. Granma Province. Cueva del Fustete. Cueva del Hoyito. Guantanamo Province. Cueva de Jajana. Cueva de La Patana. Matanzas Province. Cueva de Bellamar. Pinar del Rio Province. Cueva del Abono. Cueva de Pio Domingo. Cueva de la Vela. Minas de Matahambre, Cueva Perfecto. Sancti Spiritus Province. Cueva de las Columnas. Cueva Grande de Caguanes. Cueva Humboldt. Cueva del Túnel. Santiago de Cuba Province. Cueva de la Cantera. Cueva de los Majaes. Cueva Atabex. Santiago de Cuba, Tomas Roig Botanical Garden. Siboney, Atabex Cave.

New records. Cuba. Cienfuegos: Mayari , 2 km E, 21.96651 – 80.11497, 842m, 18.V.2013, R. Anderson, 2013-017, hardwood forest litter (3, SBPC) ; Cienfuegos: Mayari , 1 km E, 21.97114 – 80.12172, 866m. 18.V.2013, R. Anderson, 2013-018, karst forest litter (3, SBPC) ; Cienfuegos: P.N. Pico San Juan , road, 21.98812 - 80.14632, 1086m, R. Anderson, 2013-022, elfin forest litter (3, SBPC) ; Cienfuegos: P.N. Pico San Juan , road, 21.98542 - 80.14873, 1026m, 19.V.2013, R. Anderson, 2013-023, hardwood forest litter (1, SBPC) ; Cienfuegos: P.N. Pico San Juan , road, 21.98812 - 80.14632, 1086m, 19.V.2013, R. Anderson, 2013- 024, elfin forest litter (1, SBPC) ; Santiago de Cuba: Parque Nacional Gran Piedra , 20.01154 - 75.67310, 550m, 23.V.2013, R. Anderson, 2013-031, mixed hardwood litter (2, SBPC) .

Remarks. The species is an inhabitant of both cave and forest habitats ( Peck 1983: 257; 1999: 609). It is fully winged and able to fly, and shows no morphological adaptation for caves. It is found in caves in areas with light sprinklings of moist guano of both frugivorous and insectivorous bats. Larvae: Decu 1973.

Figures

Figures 2–11. Genitalic structures of Eucatops and Proptomaphaginus. 2) Spermatheca of E. annulus. 3, 4) Aedeagus, ventral and lateral views, of P.apodemus (from Szymczakowski 1969). 5, 6) Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral views, of P. darlingtoni (from Peck 1970). 7, 8, 9) Aedeagus, dorsal, lateral and ventral views of P. hispaniolensis (from Peck 1983). 10, 11) Aedeagus, dorsal and lateral views of P. puertoricensis. Scale line = 0.15 mm, Fig. 2; 0.30 mm, Fig. 3–11.