Two New Rare Ant Fly Species Discovered in Delhi and Western Ghats
In January 2026, researchers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu (TN) reported the discovery of two new rare ant fly species, ‘Metadon ghorpadei’ and ‘Metadon reemeri’, found in Delhi’s Northern Ridge forest and the Siruvani Hills of the Western Ghats, respectively. This is the first discovery in over 100 years and shows the importance of protecting urban forest areas.
In January 2026, researchers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu (TN) reported the discovery of two new rare ant fly species, ‘Metadon ghorpadei’ and ‘Metadon reemeri’, found in Delhi’s Northern Ridge forest and the Siruvani Hills of the Western Ghats, respectively. This is the first discovery in over 100 years and shows the importance of protecting urban forest areas.
- Findings were published in international journal Zootaxa after morphological and Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) analysis.
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- What? Two new ant fly species discovered in India
- Species Name: Metadon ghorpadei & Metadon reemeri
- Where? Delhi (Northern Ridge forest) & TN (Siruvani hills, Western Ghats)
- Research Published In: International journal Zootaxa.
- Sub Family: Microdontinae (Syrphidae)
- Special Feature: Myrmecophily – larvae live inside ant nests
About the Discovery of Two New Ant Fly Species:
Classification: Both species belong to Microdontinae, a subfamily of Syrphidae (hoverflies).
Behavior: Larvae are myrmecophilous, living in ant nests and feeding on ant brood; adults are rare and hard to detect.
Species: India now has eight Metadon species, up from six; globally, 454 Microdontinae species exist, 27 in India.
Habitat: Metadon ghorpadei – Delhi Ridge, a disturbed urban forest; Metadon reemeri – Siruvani hills, Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot.
Significance: The discovery reveals hidden biodiversity and calls for surveys, habitat protection, invasive species control, and studies on species divergence.
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