The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is providing an additional opportunity for the public to comment on a proposal to designate 9,238 acres of critical habitat on five islands for 12 endangered Hawaiian picture-wing flies.

The new comment period will end April 25.

Patrick Leonard, field supervisor for the Fish and Wildlife Office in the Pacific Islands, said that during the previous public comment period, the agency received requests to hold public hearings, so the deadline was extended to allow for meetings next month on the Big Island and in Honolulu.

The revised critical habitat proposal was issued late last year following allegations that a former Department of Interior official overruled scientists' recommendations and improperly influenced rulings to protect eight imperiled species, including the Hawai'i insects, under the Endangered Species Act.

The original proposal set aside only 18 acres for Hawaiian picture-wing flies, which are known as the "birds of paradise" of the insect world for the elaborate markings on their translucent wings and for their flamboyant courtship and territory-defense behaviors.

The flies' remarkable adaptive skills also have given them a key role in the study of biology and evolution.

Those species for which critical habitat is proposed are: Drosophila aglaia, Drosophila hemipeza, Drosophila montgomeryi, Drosophila obatai, Drosophila substenoptera and Drosophila tarphytrichia (found on O'ahu); Drosophila heteroneura, Drosophila ochrobasis and Drosophila mulli (Big Island); Drosophila musaphilia (Kaua'i); Drosophila neoclavisetae (Maui); and Drosophila differens (Moloka'i).

Nearly half of the proposed critical habitat is on federal lands and includes 3,604 acres in the Kona Forest Unit of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge and 752 acres in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

State lands comprise 26 percent, or 2,330 acres, of the proposed critical habitat, while 1 percent, or 128 acres, are on City and County of Honolulu land, and 26 percent, or 2,424 acres, are on private land.

The designation of critical habitat does not affect land ownership or establish a refuge, wilderness, reserve, preserve, or other special conservation area. Nor does it allow government or public access to private lands.

However, projects using federal funds that may affect critical habitat are required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure their actions do not adversely modify or destroy designated critical habitat.

Comments may be sent via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov; or mailed to Public Comments Processing, Attn: RIN 1018-AU93, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203.

Copies of the proposed rule may be downloaded from www.fws.gov/pacificislands/.