Smallest fly discovered

2012-07-02 18:24

Dane McDonald

Los Angeles - A scientist from the Natural History Museum has just discovered a phorid fly 0.4mm in length, making it the world's tiniest fly.

Dr Brian Brown's discovery formed part of a project that aimed to catalogue new species of Thai insects, Discovery Magazine reports.

The phorid fly, named Euryplatea nanaknihali, is small enough to sit on the eye of a common housefly.

Despite its small size E nanaknihali is ruthless when it comes to reproduction.

According to ScienceNow phorid flies deposit their eggs in the body of ants. When the eggs become larvae they feed on the ant's head causing it to eventually fall off.


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