The two species Australiophilus ferrugineus and Zelanophilus provocator are very similar in size (up to 9 cms), habitat requirements and behaviours. They differ markedly in the number of segments on the adult: the first is often larger as it has up to 109 segments whereas the second has up to 83. Their suborbicular head shape and other features place them within the Zelanophilidae (see notes Zelanophilus provocator). Australiophilus ferrugineus is apparently not tolerant of disturbed urban environments and pine plantations and its natural habitat is in the wetter shrublands and podocarp forests of the Wellington/Marlborough/Nelson area. Z. provocator is known from Wellington, Marlborough, throughout lowland Canterbury where it is common in North Canterbury Nothofagus forest and Banks Peninsula. Herbert and Queenstown are the only sites from which it is known in Otago.