Melormenis basalis, Homoptera: Flatidae

I found this little flatid back in April (30 April 2009) when we were inpsecting a Mehamehame tree, or Flueggea neowawraea, in Lualualei Valley.  I was thinking it could be native, but I later learned there are no species of Flatidae native to Hawaii.  This particular species is Melormenis basalis, the West Indian Flatid.  Not sure how long it has been in Hawaii, but it wasn’t mentioned in “Insects of Hawaii” so it must have arrived sometime after that particular volume was written.  The other species of flatid in Hawaii is Siphanta acuta, the Green Torpedo Flatid or Torpedo Bug.  It is mentioned in “Insects of Hawaii” and arrived sometime before 1898.  These are evidently the only two species of Flatidae known to occur in Hawaii.