Blue Mountains Glowworm vs Fruit Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blue Mountains Glowworm Fruit Fly
Scientific Name Arachnocampa richardsae Drosophila melanogaster
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Mycetophilidae Drosophilidae
Size 3-5 mm 2-4 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Fungus Feeders Fruit Feeders
Regions Australia Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Blue Mountains Glowworm

An Australian bioluminescent fungus gnat closely related to the New Zealand glowworm. Its larvae hang from cave ceilings and rainforest overhangs, emitting a blue-green glow.

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Did You Know?

Different Arachnocampa species emit slightly different colors of light, from blue-green to green-yellow.

Fruit Fly

The most studied organism in genetics. Six Nobel Prizes have been awarded for research on this tiny fly. 75% of human disease genes have recognizable matches in its genome.

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Did You Know?

The fruit fly shares 60% of its DNA with humans and 75% of human disease genes have a match in the fruit fly genome — making it invaluable for medical research.