Discovery of Two New Species of Fruit Flies in Himachal Pradesh

Discovery of Two New Species of Fruit Flies in Himachal Pradesh

Entomologists have recently discovered two new species of fruit flies in the Himalayan foothill region of Himachal Pradesh. The discovery was made by researchers Manish Pal Singh from Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, and British entomologist David Lawrence Hancock. The newly identified species are Acidoxantha paratotoflava and Hemilea suneriae, belonging to the Tephritidae family, a group of insects commonly known as fruit flies.

The species Acidoxantha paratotoflava is a medium-sized fly characterized by a greenish-yellow body, four black stripes on the thorax, and prominent black spots on the abdomen. Male specimens possess distinctive hook-shaped anatomical features. The second species, Hemilea suneriae, has a reddish-brown body with multiple black dots and dark wings with a single transparent “hyaline window,” distinguishing it from related species. The species was named in honor of the researcher’s late mother, reflecting a tradition of commemorative scientific naming.