About Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri:
- They are two new species of ant flies.
- These insects belong to the Microdontinae subfamily of hoverflies.
- Metadon ghorpadei was discovered in Delhi’s Northern Ridge Forest.
- Metadon reemeri was found in the Siruvani Hills of the Western Ghats.
- Globally, many Microdontinae species are considered rare or threatened due to their specialised habitat requirements and patchy distribution.
- They are known for their unique association with ants, as their larvae live inside ant nests and feed on ant broods, a specialised behaviour called myrmecophily that makes them exceptionally rare and difficult to detect.
