#coproica

Meet #Coproica testudinea, a newly described species of Lesser Dung Fly (family #Sphaeroceridae). What makes this species particularly interesting is that is has only been found inside the burrows of Gopher Tortoises (#Gopherus polyphemus), and nowhere else! Gopher tortoises are listed as #vulnerable by the #IUCN, and so it's likely this fly is at least as at risk as it's reptilian host. This new species was just described last week by my friend and former labmate Matthew Bergeron in the journal #Zootaxa. (at University of Guelph Insect Collection)