Genus Coriophagus Kinzelbach, 1971a: 8

Halictophagus Bohart1962: 9, p.p.

Coriophagus Kinzelbach, 1971b: 150, Kathirithamby, 1992: 188; 1993: 180; 2005: 5; New, 1994: 11

Coriophagus was established by Kinzelbach (1971a) for Halictophagus zanzibarae Bohart based on the structure of the male head, which displays noticeable frontal and epistomal sutures. The spatulate extremity of tibia 1 and the enlarged first tarsomere of the front legs seem typical of the genus. Additionally, the genus diagnosis includes distinguishing characters in the female cephalothorax.

Thirteen species of Coriophagus have been described to date. Ten species are known from male descriptions only: C. adebratti Kathirithamby, 1993: 188 (Malaysia, Sabah); C. borneoensis Kathirithamby, 1993: 182 (Malaysia, Sabah); C. casui Cowley, 1984:351 (New Zealand, Auckland); C. gressittorum Kifune & Hirashima, 1989: 14 (Solomon Islands); C. griveaudi (Paulian, 1959): 2 (Madagascar); C. latimanus Luna de Carvalho, 1972b: 114 (Angola, Dundo); C. lockerbiensis Kathirithamby, 1992: 188 (Australia, Queensland); C. maai Kifune & Hirashima, 1989: 16 (New Guinea); C. medleri Luna de Carvalho, 1972a: 3 (Nigeria); C. monteithi Kathirithamby, 1992: 190 (Australia, Queensland). Three species whose females are known are parasitic on Heteroptera (Coreidae and Pentatomidae): C. rieki Kinzelbach, 1971b: 150 (Australia, Canberra); C. zanzibarae (Bohart) 1962: 91 (Tanzania); and C. solomonensis Kinzelbach, 1971b: 151 (Solomon Islands, Malaita). Thus, the geographic range of the genus was limited to Africa (Angola, Nigeria, and Tanzania); Asia (Malaysia –Borneo), and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, and Solomon Islands). The following new species extends this range to the remainder of the Gondwanan continents.