Proptomaphaginus puertoricensis Peck 1970, 1971

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 : 8-9

Proptomaphaginus puertoricensis Peck 1970

Figures 10, 11

Proptomaphaginus puertoricensis Peck 1970: 239 ; 1978: 244. Holotype male in MCZC, seen. Type locality: Cerro Dona Juana, Toro Negro Forest, Puerto Rico.

Diagnosis. Total length 1.5–2.0 mm. Reddish brown; mouthparts, basal 2–3 antennomeres and tip of antennomere XI paler; pubescence yellow, dense, recumbent. Antennae compact, short. Eyes large. Pronotum wider than long, lateral margins weakly rounded; posterior angles nearly right, slightly drawn out; with moderately dense, transverse strigae. Sides of elytra weakly curved; apices truncate and weakly concave to rounded and convex; with oblique strigae. Fully winged. Mesosternal carina low. Metasternum with median groove over its whole length. Aedeagus ( Fig. 10, 11 ) stout, tubular, curved dorsoventrally, with prominent, subequal, inwardly curved lateral projections at tip. Parameres ( Fig. 11 ) broad, curved dorsoventrally, not reaching apex of lateral projections, each bearing two apical setae.

Distribution. Known only from Puerto Rico. Previously known localities, from Peck (1970) are: Puerto Rico. Torro Negro Forest, Cerro Dona Juana. Barrio Mora, near Isabela, Cueva de los Alfaros. Bayaney, near Arecibo, Empalme Cave. Corozal, Cueva de Corozal. Aguas Buenas, Aguas Buenas Cave. Luquillo Experimental forest. El Yunque vicinity.

New records. Puerto Rico: El Verde Research Sta., ridge tops in forest, 2-30.IX.1996, E. Nazario, pitfall (1, WIBF).

Remarks. The species is widespread in caves and forests, from near sea level to about 1000 m elevation.

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.