Family HERMATOBATIDAE Coutière & Martin, 1901 ‑ coral treaders
N.M. Andersen
This small family includes 1 genus and about 10 species, distributed in coastal marine habitats of the Indo‑Pacific and Caribbean regions. All species are probably predators of arthropods. These small but extremely agile, subovate bugs live in the tidal zone of coral and rocky coasts. The relatively large eggs are deposited in an upright position, in cavities in blocks of dead coral. There are four larval instars. Adults are always wingless.
Monographs: Andersen, 1982a (general account); Palaearctic catalogue: Andersen, 199f; China, 1956 (key), 1957. Biology: Foster, 1989.