New animal species evolved in an instant
A new species of insect may have arisen in an evolutionary eye-blink as a result of cross-species mating. The discovery suggests that hybridisation—well known to be an important force in producing new plant species - may also be widespread in animals. Until now, it had been assumed that new animal species almost always arise by gradually splitting off from an existing lineage. The probable new species belongs to a group of flies known as fruit maggots—highly specialised fruit parasites in which each species infests its own particular plant species.