Oligotoma saundersii
FAMILY
Oligotomidae
TAXONOMY
Embia saundersii Westwood, 1837, Australia and Brazil.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
None known.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Adult males have dentate mandibles and unbranched anterior medial wing vein; reddish brown body.
DISTRIBUTION
Native to north central India; widespread by means of commerce throughout warm and tropical regions, even to North America and Southeast Asia.
HABITAT
Common on trunks of rainforest trees and royal palms (Roystonea spp.) in landscaped areas.
BEHAVIOR
Tends to live in colonies of mothers and offspring. Area of silk reflects number of gallery occupants, although many silk coverings can be empty, suggesting embiids failed to establish successful colony, have been killed, or dispersed. Gallery surfaces almost completely camouflaged with fecal pellets or finely masticated chips of wood and bark from substrate spun into surface of silk. Males frequently fly to lights.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on lichens and algae on bark of trunk of host tree.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Exhibits maternal care.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
