Peloridiid Bug

Peloridiid bug Source - Museum Victoria

Peloridiidae sp.

These small, flattened, cryptically coloured bugs live only in saturated moss at the base of Nothofagus trees.

The group is know to occur in Chile, Patagonia, New Zealand, Tasmania, eastern Australia, Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia.

Their dependence on a moist and protected micro-habitat means that it is highly improbable that these insects could have colonised these widely separate landmasses except via their ancient existence on a single land mass, Gondwana.

It is presumed that the Peloridiidae may have originated in Antarctica and were in existence before the break-up of Gondwana.

Accordingly, scientists suggest that they also likely to occur in the moss forests of New Guinea.