Overview
This cosmopolitan family of handsome earwigs is well represented in Australia.
Description
Many species are reddish brown and apterous. They range from 10-45 mm long as adults and are found throughout Australia. Sakai (1970), Gunther and Herter (1974) and Steinmann (1977) have provided revisions of the group.
Labidurinae
are winged and somewhat glossy, have long antennae (more than 20 segments), and are often fairly large.
Labidura
truncata
is a large, long-legged, mostly pale species having the ecdysial suture obsolete. It occurs throughout Australia, especially in sandy habitats. It is up to about 35 mm long and dull brown with straw-coloured markings. The male has long, slender forceps, widely spaced basally, with a prominent tooth near the middle of the inner edge. Specimens from northern Australia seem darker than those from more southern regions.
Distribution
Nala
lividipes
is common throughout Australia; in Qld and north-western Australia, it has been reported feeding on seedlings of field crops and is often attracted to lights.
Euborellia
annulipes
is cosmopolitan.