New Hoverfly Species:
Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recently discovered two new species of hoverflies named Eristalinus sapphirinus and Eristalinus brunettii from the Gangetic Plains of West Bengal.
- Eristalinus sapphirinus and Eristalinus brunettii are two new species of hoverflies.
- They were discovered from the Gangetic Plains of West Bengal.
- Eristalinus sapphirinus is named for its striking, sapphire-blue metallic coloration.]
- Eristalinus brunettii is named in honour of entomologist Enrico Adelelmo Brunetti, acknowledging his immense historical contributions to the study of Indian Diptera (flies).
- The discovery expands the known diversity of the Eristalinus genus in India, with the last major contribution to the group’s taxonomy dating back to 1923.
- Members of the Eristalinus genus support ecosystems in two distinct life stages.
- As adults, they act as critical pollinators for wild and cultivated plants.
- As larvae (commonly known as “rat-tailed maggots”), they develop in aquatic habitats where they decompose organic matter and recycle essential nutrients.
- Hoverflies, often referred to as flower flies or drone flies, are beneficial insects that appear in large numbers during the spring and summer.
