Overview
This family includes the Australian genus
Omma
, the South American
Tetraphalerus
, and
Crowsoniella relicta
from Italy.
Description
Australian ommatids may be distinguished from Cupedidae by the shorter, laterally inserted antennae, reduced labrum, tridentate mandibles, contiguous fore coxal cavities, and simple 4th tarsal segment, and by lacking ventral grooves for the reception of the legs. There are three described species, but they are rarely collected.
Distribution
Two species occur in eastern Australia (
O. mastersi
, 7 to 11 mm long, clothed with flat, white and brown scales and
O. stanleyi
, 13--25 mm long, clothed with stout, decumbent setae), and a third is known from southern W.A. (
O. sagitta
, 10 mm and similar to
mastersi
but with the light scales forming an X on the combined elytra). [Neboiss 1960, 1989]