Flat bugs

Definition

A family (Aradidae) of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) characterized by strongly dorsoventrally flattened bodies and long, slender antennae, typically inhabiting spaces beneath loose bark, in decaying wood, or in leaf litter where they feed on fungal hyphae. Their extreme flattening is an adaptation for occupying narrow crevices in their cryptic microhabitats.

Etymology

From English 'flat' referring to the dorsoventrally compressed body form, plus 'bugs' in the technical sense of true bugs (Hemiptera).

Example

Aradus cinnamomeus, a flat bug found under the bark of conifers, uses its flattened body to exploit narrow galleries created by wood-boring beetles.

Synonyms

• Aradidae

Related Terms

• Heteroptera
• cryptic habitat
• bark fauna
• saproxylic
• dorsoventral flattening

Usage Notes

The common name refers specifically to the family Aradidae, not to any flattened bug in general. Some authors divide the group into subfamilies (Aradinae, Mezirinae), but Aradidae is the standard family-level designation. Flat bugs are sometimes called 'bark bugs' in older literature, though this term is ambiguous and also applied to other heteropteran families.