A review of present knowledge of the family Peloridiidae and new genera and new species from New Zealand and New Caledonia (Hemiptera: Insecta)
Abstract
The Peloridiidae, a family of small flattened cryptically coloured relict Hemiptera which for the most part live in saturated moss, form part of the "Antarctic" or Gondwanaland fauna, and are of uncertain relationships.
Up to the present 21 species have been described. Of these 6 species occur in southern South America, 6 in New Zealand, 6 in Australia and 3 on Lord Howe Island. In the South American fauna, a new generic name, Kuscheloides, is proposed to replace Kuschelia China (preoccupied). Four new species are added to the new Zealand list. Two of these are assigned to a new genus, Xenophysella, type species Xenophyes stewartensis Woodward (X. dugdalei sp. n., X. pegasusensis sp. n.). Another belongs to Xenophyes Bergroth (X. kinlochensis sp. n.), while the fourth species, Oiophysa pendergrasti Woodward, previously had sub-specific rank. The first peloridiid to be recorded from New Caledonia is also described (Oiophysella gen. nov., type species 0. degenerata sp. n.).
Illustrations and brief particulars are given of every known representative of the family Peloridiidae, also a summary of existing knowledge of the group. In addition, some aspects of the morphology of the head, and of the significance of paranota are discussed, likewise the position of the family within the order Hemiptera.
