Overview
Clusiids generally live in forested areas. The adults are often found on foliage or on fallen logs. Rival males of
Clusiodes
(including
Parahendelia
) compete for mating territory on logs or sometimes fallen palm leaves. Large males, which have broadened heads in some species, fight with interlocked vibrissae. Females have been observed laying eggs in rotting wood and the recorded clusiid larvae have been found in this medium.
Description
The main diagnostic features include:
Postocellar bristles divergent or sometimes absent; vibrissa present, often long; face largely desclerotised, with lower margin not defined; pedicel of antenna with sub-angular lobe on outer side of distal margin; anepisternum bristled; precoxal bridge of prothorax absent; wing with vein Sc complete; transverse section of vein CuA2 strongly curved.
Distribution
Clusiids live in most non-arid parts of the world, except New Zealand. They are found in all Australian states, with 31 species in total. Although Australia has numerous endemic clusiid species, none of the six recorded Australian genera is endemic.