The world's largest beetle (15 photos)

First place in the rank of "the largest insect in the world" deservedly awarded woodcutter-titanium (lat. Titanus giganteus), whose body length can reach 17, and according to some sources, and 21 centimeters!



1. titan beetle (lat. Titanus giganteus) - kind of beetles of the family of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae). It is one of the largest insects.



2. In the majority of the length of adult sources indicated in the range of from 79 to 168 mm. Other sources cite different maximum length - from 170 to 210 and even up to 220 mm. Accurate scientific evidence was not available yet. The average length of most individuals is 130 mm, it is much rarer specimens up to 150 mm.



3. The large size of reach only a few instances.



4. Cost of dried specimens as large as possible for the entomological collections can reach 680-1000 US dollars or more. The dry weight of the beetle is 22-26 grams.



5. The females are larger and bulkier than males. Painting pitch-brown or brown-brown.



6. The body is extended and slightly flattened at least the dorsal-ventral direction. The lateral projection is in the shape of the lens.



7. Pronotum is characterized by the presence of three pointed spikes on each side. Eyes vyyamchatye. The antennae are attached to the eyes, reach half the length of the body.



8. Life expectancy of adults - 3-5 weeks, during which the beetles do not feed and live off the fat reserves accumulated in the larval stage.



9. is nocturnal, which is typical for most of the closely related species.



10. At dusk Activity beetles increases, they crawl out of daytime shelters (litter, hollow, rotten stumps) rise on the rise and soar.



11. Males are very sensitive to light, as light traps entomologists females get extremely rare.



12. titan beetle is distributed throughout the Amazon - Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Surinam and Guyana to Bolivia and the middle part of Brazil.



13. Morphology of larvae is unknown, since they are still not found. When comparing the size of adults and larvae of closely related species can be assumed that the size of the larvae drevoseka titanium should be 240-360 mm.



14. Like other species of the tribe Prionini larvae drevoseka Titans expected to develop in the roots and the root zone drying and dead trees. Pupation is likely to occur in the soil.