Small Size No Protection for Acrobat Ants: World's Smallest Fly is a Parasitic Phorid (Diptera: Phoridae)

2012/07/01 by Brian V. Brown · 2 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Insect and Pesticide Research #Plant and animal studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1603/an12011

openalex publication_date 2012/07/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21

Abstract

Abstract A new species of phorid fly, Euryplatea nanaknihali (Diptera: Phoridae), is described from Thailand. This is the first Oriental Region record for this genus; it is otherwise known only from the type species from Africa, where it parasitizes ants of the genus Crematogaster Lund. The new species is probably capable of parasitizing the smallest host Crematogaster (Formicidae) ants in its range. At 0.40 mm in body length, it is the smallest known fly in the world.

Cited by

• Euryplatea nanaknihali [wikipedia]
• Phoridae [wikipedia]

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