Proptomaphaginus Szymczakowski 1969

Proptomaphaginus Szymczakowski 1969. Type species: Proptomaphaginus apodemus Szymczakowski, by original designation.

Distribution. Mexico, Greater Antilles, and Bahamas (Andros Island, undescribed).

Biology. Scavenger in litter in moist caves, forests and soil.

Remarks. It is of note that Proptomaphaginus is the only New World representative of the subtribe Ptomaphaginini, otherwise known from two genera in the Oriental region (Szymczakowski 1969).

The two species known from Mexico are considered to be derived flightless and small-eyed litter species. No other Mexican-Central American species are known. These Mexican species are interpreted as relictual species compared to the winged and large-eyed species of the Greater Antilles. It could be proposed that the West Indian species originated on former land masses of Central America and were moved as parts of the Caribbean tectonic plate which were to become the islands of the Greater Antilles (a vicariant origin), but it seems more likely to us that flight was the dispersal mechanism for reaching the West Indies, as we think is the case for all the West Indian leiodids.

The presence of Proptomaphaginus on the Bahamas (Andros) is based upon two unidentifiable female specimens with the following label data: Bahamas, Andros Island, Forfar Field Station, nr. Stafford Ck., 22-27.VII.2006, M.C.Thomas, T.R. Smith, uv trap in coastal coppice (FSCA).