Two New Fruit Fly Species Discovered in Brazil
Brazilian scientists have discovered two new fruit fly species in the genus Rhinoleucophenga. Using fermenting fruits and vegetables to sample flies in the Brazilian Cerrado, the scientists found two specimens that they could not recognize, although they were similar to known species. The new species are described in the Journal of Insect Science.
“One of the unknown species was similar to R. obesa, but the male genitalia were different,” they wrote. “The second of the unknown species resembled Rhinoleucophenga stigma.”
After comparing the specimens with ones in the Coleção Entomológica do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz in Rio de Janeiro, they determined that they were indeed new species.
The first, Rhinoleucophenga montensis, was named as “an allusion to the type locality, situated at the top of the Tapirapuã mountain range, and it is a derivation of the Latin word ‘montem,’ which means ‘mountain range.'”
The second species, Rhinoleucophenga tangaraensis, was named after Tangará da Serra, a city near the location where it was found.