Scientists have discovered a previously unknown insect species living deep in the shingle on the Sussex coast.
The Megaselia yatesi has been named after Dr Barry Yates, who found it by setting a specially made trap at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.
Though unremarkable to look at, the small black scuttle fly is unique.
It lives up to a metre deep in shingle where it feeds and breeds in between the stones.
The strange environment protects it from predators and seasonal changes in temperature, said Dr Yates, 45, East Sussex County Council's reserve manager.
He said: "We have got lots of very rare creepy-crawlies for some peculiar reason. It's the climate and soil that make the area special."
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