Proptomaphaginus hispaniolensis Peck 1983

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 : 7-8

Proptomaphaginus hispaniolensis Peck 1983

Figures 7–9

Proptomaphaginus hispaniolensis Peck 1983: 255 ; 1999: 610. Holotype, male, in FSCA, seen. Type locality: cave at mouth of Río Chavon, La Romana, Dominican Republic.

Diagnosis. Total length 1.5-2.1 mm. Reddish brown; mouthparts and basal 2–3 antennomeres paler; pubescence yellow, dense, recumbent. Antennae compact, short. Eyes variable, large to variably reduced. Pronotum wider than long, lateral margins weakly rounded; posterior angles nearly right, very slightly drawn out; with moderately dense, transverse strigae. Elytra weakly tapering; apices variable, often truncate in both sexes, but drawn out in some females; with oblique strigae. Fully winged. Mesosternal carina low, uniformly rounded. Metasternum with median groove over its whole length. Aedeagus ( Fig. 7-9 ) uniformly stout and thick, narrowing to apex, with prominent, subequal, inwardly curved lateral projections at tip; apex downturned with two lateral swellings, each bearing two setae. There is variability in size and shape of lateral projections and sclerites of the inverted internal sac. Parameres ( Fig. 8 ) moderately broad, fused to median lobe, not reaching apex of lateral projections, each bearing 2 apical setae and 3 others widely spaced before apex.

Distribution. Known only from Hispaniola in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Previously known localities, from Peck (1983, 1999), are: Dominican Republic. Barahona Province, 7 km NW Paraiso. Independencia Province. 10 km NW La Descubierta, Sabana Real. 5.5 km NNW Angel Feliz. Sierra Neiba. La Romana Province. Cave at mouth of Rio Chavon. La Vega Province. Constanza. 10 km NE Jarabacoa, Hotel Montaña. La Cienega, Parque Nacional A. Bermudez. 2 km SW La Cienaga. Pedernales Province. Los Arroyos. 9.5 km N Cabo Rojo. 23.5 km N Cabo Rojo. 26 km N Cabo Rojo. 28 km N Cabo Rojo. 11.4 km W Oviedo. San Cristobal Province. Borbon, Cuevas Pomier Natural Preserve, Cave 1, Cave 2, Cave 3, Cave 4, Cave 5. Haiti. Department du Sud. Grotte Counoubois, near Camp Perrin. Grotte “Ca- August”, between Cayes and Jacmel.

New records. Dominican Republic. Pedernales Province. ca. 35 km NW Cabo Rojo, Las Abejas , pitfall trap, 26.VIII–9.IX.1988, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (4, WIBF) ; 13.5 km N. Cabo Rojo, 140m, 21.VIII–10.IX.1988, flight intercept trap, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (1, WIBF) ; 24 km N Cabo Rojo , 610m, 20–25.VIII.1988, wet forest, flight intercept trap, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (1, WIBF) ; 35 km N Cabo Rojo, 1250m, Las Abejas , 26.VIII. 1988, dung baited pitfall, M. Ivie, Phillips & Johnson (22, WIBF; 12, SBPC; 4, MCZC; 4, FMNH) ; 24 km N Cabo Rojo , 612 m, 18°06’N, 71°38’W, 11.VII.1993, D.S. Sikes & R.P. Rosenfeld, carrion trap (3, WIBF) ; 26 km N Cabo Rojo , 825m, 21.VIII– 9.IX.1992, D. Sikes & P. Ward, flight intercept trap (1, WIBF) ; ca. 35 km N Cabo Rojo, 1250m, Las Abejas , 23.VIII.1988, forest litter, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (1, WIBF) ; ca 35 km N Cabo Rojo, 1250m, Las Abejas , 26.VIII.1988, mix. leaf litter, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (1, WIBF) ; ca. 35 km NW Cabo Rojo, 1370m, El Aceitillar , 26.VIII–9.IX.1988, pine for., flight intercept trap, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (6, WIBF) ; Las Abejas , 1225m, 18°09’03”N, 71°37’48”W, 28.VII-3.VIII.1999, G.O. Dominici, F.I.T. (10, WIBF) ; ca. 35 km N Cabo Rojo, 1250m, Las Abejas , 26.VIII-9.IX.1988, flight intercept trap, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (4, WIBF) ; Las Abejas , 1225m, 18°09.032’N, 71°37.475’W, 22.VII–9.VIII.1999, M.A. Ivie, et al., Malaise (1, WIBF) ; P.N. Sierra de Baoruco, 1240m, 18°09.023’N, 71°37.387’W, Las Abejas, 22.VIII.1999, light, M.A. Ivie & K.A. Guerrero (2, WIBF). Santiago Province. P.N. Armando Bermudez, Los Tablones, 1290m, M.A. & R.O. Ivie, flight intercept trap, on Rio Izquiera , 19°03’N, 70°50’W, 9.IV–7.VII.1992 (17, WIBF) ; P.N. Armando Bermudez, Los Tablones , 9.IV– 7.VII.1992, 19°03’N, 70°54’W, 1275m, M.A. Ivie, fl. int. tr. (1, WIBF). San Cristobal Province. Cave nr. Borbon (El Pomier), 7 km NNW San Cristobal, 180m, 18.VIII.1988, M.A. Ivie, T.K. Phillips, K.A. Johnson (1, WIBF) ; 4 km NW Villa Altagracia, 300m, 12.IV-6.VII.1992, M.A. & R.O. Ivie, flight intercept trap (1, WIBF). La Vega Province. P.N. Armando Bermudez, Los Tablones , 1245m, 19°03’N, 70°53W, 7.VII- 25.VIII.1992, M.A. Ivie & D.S. Sikes, flight intercept trap (2, WIBF) ; Barahona Province. nr. Filipinas, Larimar Mine , 26.VI–7.VII.1992, Woodruff & Skelley, flight trap (26, FSCA) .

Remarks. The species is a widespread cave and forest inhabitant. The large eyes and fully functional flight wings indicate that the species is not cave modified. The species has been caught in a variety of forest types ranging from arid thorn forest to tropical evergreen forest to dense cloud forest, from 10 m to 1750 m altitude, as well as in caves. The type series was taken in a black light trap near bat guano in a cave.

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.