Rare Fungus Gnat Previously Known Only From Scottish Highlands Recorded in Morocco

A Moroccan study has identified a new species of fungus gnat and recorded eight species in Morocco for the first time, including a rare insect previously known only from the Scottish Highlands.

The Scottish-linked find stands out because of the distance between its previously known habitat and Morocco. It extends the insect’s documented range by thousands of kilometres.

The record does not, however, establish that the insect recently migrated from Scotland. Its appearance in the study marks a new observation in Morocco, rather than proof of a sudden arrival.

The findings also make an important distinction: the newly identified species is separate from the eight species being recorded in Morocco for the first time. A first national record does not necessarily mean an insect is new to science.

Together, the discoveries broaden the documented diversity of Morocco’s fungus gnats and raise questions about the distribution of a rare insect once associated only with the Scottish Highlands.