Actaeon beetle

{{Speciesbox

| name = Actaeon beetle

| image = Megasoma acteon MHNT male.jpg

| image_caption = Male of Megasoma actaeon

| image2 = Megasoma actaeon MHNT Femelle.jpg

| image2_caption = Female of Megasoma actaeon

| taxon = Megasoma actaeon

| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)

| synonyms =

Scarabeus simson Linnaeus, 1767
Geotrupes crenatus Leach, 1817
Megasoma janus Felsche, 1906
Megasoma argentinum Höhne, 1923
Megasoma janus ramirezorum Silvestre et Arnaud, 2002
Megasoma janus fujitai Nagai, 2003 {{cite web |url=https://unsm-ento.unl.edu/Guide/Scarabaeoidea/Scarabaeidae/Dynastinae/Dynastinae-Tribes/Dynastini/Megasoma/Megasoma%20actaeon/Mactaeon.html |title=Megasoma actaeon (Linnaeus, 1758) |work=Generic Guide to New World Scarab Beetles |author=Matthew R. Moore |date=22 January 2007 }}
Megasoma rex Prandi, 2018 (dubious: see {{cite journal |last1=Hielkema |first1=Auke J. |last2=Hielkema |first2=Meindert A. |date=25 October 2019 |title=An annotated checklist of the Scarabaeoidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) of the Guianas |journal=Insecta Mundi |volume=732 |pages=1–306 |url=https://journals.flvc.org/mundi/article/view/117774 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.3678492 }})
Megasoma actaeon johannae Van Meenen & Schouteet, 2018

}}

The actaeon beetle (Megasoma actaeon) is a rhinoceros beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.

Etymology

The species name actaeon derives from the name Actaeon of a famous Theban hero, son of the priestly herdsman Aristaeus and Autonoe in Boeotia, trained by the centaur Chiron.

Description

Actaeon beetle is one of the largest of all beetles, measuring up to {{convert|7|cm}} across, with a body length of about {{convert|5|-|12|cm}}. The males can grow to be {{convert|13+1/2|cm|in|abbr=on}} long by {{convert|4|cm|in|abbr=on}} thick .{{cite web |url=http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-worlds-biggest-insect.htm |title=What is the World's Biggest Insect? }}

The dorsal surfaces are glabrous (bald), matte or shiny black. The legs are powerful, with large tarsal claws. Males have appendages resembling horns on the pronotum and on the head. The two parallel horns on the pronotum are short, acute and forward pointing, while a much longer horn with a small tooth is present on the head. In the females the pronotum and the elytra are rugose and the horns are missing.

Life cycle

Females lay eggs into soil at eclosion and eggs develop in about 9 months. Larval development and pupation takes in total almost 3 years. Larvae at the 3rd instar can reach the weight of 200 grams, the highest weight among insects. Life expectancy of adults in captivity reaches about 100–150 days. The heaviest actaeon larva ever recorded was found in the northern regions of South America weighed {{convert|228|g|oz|abbr=off}} in 2009 nearly equivalent to a female rat.{{Cite book|title=Guinness World Records 2014|last=Glenday|first=Craig|year=2013|isbn=978-1-908843-15-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec0000unse_r3e7/page/33 33]|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec0000unse_r3e7/page/33}} Adults are much less massive, with no confirmed specimens exceeding the record-holder among insects, the Little Barrier giant weta, Deinacrida heteracantha, documented to attain up to 71g.Richards, A.O. 1973. A comparative study of the biology of the giant wetas Deinacrida heteracantha and D. fallai (Orthoptera: Henicidae) from New Zealand. Journal of Zoology 169: 195-236[https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/ufbir/chapters/chapter_30.shtml Book of Insect Records: Largest]

Distribution

This species can be found in South America, particularly in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

References

[http://www.coleoptera-xxl.de/shop_inhalte/Bilder/megasoma_actaeon.shtml Photos Elephant beetle Megasoma actaeon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010193358/http://www.coleoptera-xxl.de/shop_inhalte/Bilder/megasoma_actaeon.shtml |date=2009-10-10 }}
[http://www.naturalworlds.org/scarabaeidae/species/Megasoma_actaeon.htm Natural World]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20081006015310/http://www.unl.edu/museum/research/entomology/megasoma.html Breeding Megasoma actaeon]