New type of fly discovered as Australia prepares for summer

The announcement about the new insect is actually good news for Australia.

A man in hi-vis with his back to the camera with flies on his back.
A news species of fly has been discovered, but it's nothing like the house and bush flies (pictured above) that plague Aussies over summer. Source: Getty

Summer is just around the corner, heralding in clear skies, longer days, barbecues, and of course flies. And with that, it’s time to break the news that an entirely new species of fly has been discovered in Australia.

But before you freak out, it isn’t anything like the house, bush or blow flies most of us are familiar with. It’s a species of stiletto fly which are only found in southern Queensland.

And the discovery of this new fly is good news, because it’s only by describing a species that we’re able to protect them. Insects play necessary roles in the environment and without them we can’t have nice things like crop pollination for food, or birds.

Related: Fungus that eats dead birds discovered in Australia 🍄

Notoxestomyza wongaensis from above.
Notoxestomyza wongaensis has large antennae and orange crescent bands around its body. Source: QLD Museum

This week the United Nations’ Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), released a new report warning a rapid decline in insect numbers around the world was contributing to population losses of species that rely on them. “Scientific evidence revealed that without doubt, we face an insect decline on a global scale… study co-author Dr David Ott said.

🌊 Exclusive: New distinct orca population discovered

🐄 Rare outback discovery stumps Aussie farmer

😳 Aussie industry selling endangered species as food

The new stiletto fly species discovery was announced by Queensland Museum this week.

“Taxonomy is fundamental to understanding the diversity and complexity of life on earth and building the framework necessary for studying ecosystems, evolutionary relationships and environmental changes,” Queensland Museum CEO Jim Thompson said.

Notoxestomyza wongaensis from the side with a pin through it.
Notoxestomyza wongaensis is new to science. Source: QLD Museum

The new-to-science creature can be distinguished by its orange crescent bands and large antennae. It was described for the first time by the museum’s Dr Christine Lambkin and named Notoxestomyza wongaensis after the place it was discovered — Wonga Hills Station near Chinchilla. It’s also part of a new genus, Notoxestomyza, which was announced in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy in August.

“The new genera and species described offer exciting new avenues for research and understanding of this unique group of flies,” Lambkin said. “The identification of Notoxestomyza wongaensis adds a valuable new dimension to our understanding of stiletto fly diversity.”

Need more wildlife news? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.