Fonseca's seed fly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fonseca's seed fly |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Botanophila
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| Species: |
fonsecai
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The Fonseca's seed fly (Botanophila fonsecai) is a tiny fly found only in a small part of Scotland. It lives along a 100-meter stretch of sandy coast in North-Eastern Scotland. This special fly is named after E. C. M. d'Assis-Fonseca, a British scientist who studied insects.
The Fonseca's seed fly is an endangered species. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever. The IUCN Red List lists it as endangered because its home is very small and faces many threats. It is probably the rarest insect in the United Kingdom.
Contents
Discovering the Fonseca's Seed Fly
How the Fly Was Found
Scientists first noticed this fly in 1965 during a study of the Dornoch Firth area. A scientist named Evelyn d’Assis-Fonseca caught a special fly in 1971. This fly later became the "type specimen." A type specimen is like the official example of a species.
Naming the New Species
Even though it was found earlier, the Fonseca's seed fly was officially described as a new species in 1989. This was done by a scientist named Michael Ackland. The original fly caught by d’Assis-Fonseca is now kept at the Natural History Museum, London.
Where the Fly Lives
The Fly's Special Home
This tiny fly lives only in the Sutherland area of northeastern Scotland. Its home stretches for about 8.1 kilometers (5 miles) along the coast of the Dornoch Firth. The total area where it lives is about 16 square kilometers (6.2 square miles). Scientists know of four main spots where it can be found.
Plants in Its Habitat
The Fonseca's seed fly lives in dune systems. These are sandy areas near the sea. Many different plants grow there, including:
- Lyme grass (Leymus arenarius)
- Cord grass (Spartina anglica)
- Marram grass (Ammophila arenaria)
- Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)
- Sow thistle (Sonchus species)
- Cat's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata)
- Hawkweed (Hieracium species)
Further back from the beach, where the dunes are more stable, there are even more plants. These include devil’s bit scabious and more ragwort. Scientists think the fly's young might be connected to ragwort or sow thistle plants.
Threats to the Fly
Why the Fly is in Danger
A survey in 2013 looked for the Fonseca's seed fly. It found some flies, but it also showed that their numbers have gone down. This is compared to surveys done in the 1970s and 1980s.
The biggest dangers to the fly include:
- People walking on the dunes: When people walk on the dunes, they can accidentally damage the fly's home. This is called trampling.
- New developments: There was a plan to build a golf course at Coul Links. This area is part of the fly's habitat. Building new things can destroy the natural places where animals live.
