Overview
Australian species all belong to
Rhipicera
.
Description
Adults are easily recognised by the multisegmented, flabellate antennae in the male (pectinate in female) and membranous lobes on tarsal segments 1--4. Unlike the closely related Dascillidae, they have weak lateral pronotal carinae, which are incomplete anteriorly and barely visible from above, antennae borne on raised tubercles, and a large, setose empodium. The male antennae are unique in having more than 20 segments. Larvae are unknown for Australian species, but those of the North American
Sandalus niger
are lightly sclerotised ectoparasitoids of immature cicadas (HEMI) and have a minute triungulin-like 1st instar (Elzinga 1977).