Asymmetric fly

2003/11/21 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Biologia
• Zoologia

It is called Erebomyia exalloptera and is located in southern Arizona, in the US. Although asymmetry in animals is not very common, one wing is smaller than the other; in particular, the surface of the left wing is 6% larger.

From the outside, the difference in size of the wings seems to be a problem, especially when flying. But the entomologists have to give an explanation and decide that the female fly is called attractive to the survival capacity of the male in an unfortunate situation. And it is that the male does not present difficulties to fly and the female seems to value this capacity.

They have shown their intention to continue with the investigation. They fear that the male attracts the female the sound it produces when hitting the wings. And it is that the male continues behind to court the female, and the sound of two frequencies that produces thanks to wings of different size, fascinates the female.

Previously, species of butterflies and flies of different size and size were known, but without such a big difference, at least so far.

Photo: Runyon and Hurley / Royal Society of London.