We have collected this species on all islands where this habitat type persists and
we consider H. peleae  an endemic species.  This species belongs to a complex of taxa
accepted in the segregate genus Humidicutis  by Horak, wherein H. peleae  is
intermediate in morphology between H. marginatus  (Pk.) Sing. from North America,
and H. conspicua  (Horak) Horak from New Zealand.  The epithet "peleae" was chosen
to honor Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess.