Aradidae is a family of true bugs (

Heteroptera The Heteroptera are a group of about 40,000 species of insects in the order Hemiptera. They are sometimes called "true bugs", though that name more commonly refers to the Hemiptera as a whole. "Typical bugs" might be used as a more unequivocal al ...

). Family members are commonly known as flat bugs due to their dorsoventrally flattened bodies. With few exceptions, these cryptic insects are of no economic importance. Aradids are 3 to 11 mm long and mostly blackish or brownish. Some species have short or reduced wings and they are often appear to have rough surface made from layers of fine debris held by hairs. This family occurs worldwide, with the most diversity occurring in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...

species commonly live under the bark of dead trees, while many

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

species are found in

leaf litter Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall, or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that has fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituen ...

or on fallen twigs or branches. Adults have long coiled maxillary and mandibular stylets that may be five times the length of the body when uncoiled during feeding. They lack ocelli and the labia have four segments. The tarsi are two segmented. Females are often brachypterous or apterous while males are usually macropterous. The metathoracing scent glands are well developed. The legs are sometimes modified for stridulation with scrapers on the femur and files on the tibia. Stridulatory combs can occur on the fourth ventrite. Most family members are thought to be mycophagous (fungus eating), but little is known of the feeding habits of most species. They can be attracted to the

pheromone A pheromone () is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to affect the behavio ...

s of

bark beetle A bark beetle is the common name for the subfamily of beetles Scolytinae. Previously, this was considered a distinct family (Scolytidae), but is now understood to be a specialized clade of the "true weevil" family (Curculionidae). Although th ...

s. Some aradids have been found in the nests of birds and rodents. Most species breed twice a year. The males stay on top of egg masses after the female lays them. Hexagonal reticulation is found on the eggshells.

References

External links

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Video of a cryptic flat bug (''Dysodius lunatus'', Aradidae) on the bark of a dead treeInternational Heteropterist's Society
https://bugguide.net/node/view/9317 Aradoidea Heteroptera families Taxa named by Maximilian Spinola {{Pentatomomorpha-stub