Africa's 'Terrible Hairy Fly' Is Back After 62 Years!

It was first seen in 1933 and then 1948, after which it disappeared completely - Now 62 years later, one of the world's rarest creatures - the 'terrible hairy fly' is back.

The latest specimen of this half-inch long insect, whose scientific name is Mormotomyia Hirsuta, was found on top of a 65ft. isolated rock in Kenya's Ukazi hills. Though called a fly, it's appearance and characteristics have scientists still puzzling over where exactly it falls, within the family of Diptera or real flies.

For one, because of its hairy legs it looks more like a spider than a fly. Also, thanks to its partially formed wings that resemble miniature belt straps, the terrible hairy fly cannot fly! - Which is one of the reasons it has never been found anywhere else in the world.

What's even more amazing to scientists is that unlike other immobile creatures, the yellow fly has not even figured out how to wrap its long legs around another animal and hitch a ride to a different area. For now, the terrible hairy fly can be found in only one place in the world - the dank, bat-filled cleft of an isolated rock in Ukazi hills, east of Nairobi.

While this time around the scientists are planning to do some more research about where this fly falls in the evolutionary process, they have a feeling the answer is going to be fairly straightforward - The Mormotomyia Hirsuta is the only member of its biological family and most likely, the only family of fly completely restricted to Africa.

Sources: Earthweek.com, dailymail.co.uk