| Megasoma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Megasoma elephas , the elephant beetle | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamily: | Dynastinae |
| Tribe: | Dynastini |
| Genus: | Megasoma Kirby, 1825 |
| Type species | |
| Megasoma actaeon (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Megasoma is a genus of rhinoceros beetles. Commonly known as the elephant beetles, Megasoma species are found from the southern half of North America to most of South America. [1]
Megasoma are generally large in size (as indicated by the name, which is "large body" in Greek). As a group, the genus contains some of the largest beetle species known. However, there are small species of this genus as well. The largest can be up to 135 mm, while small ones like Megasoma punctulatum can be around 20 mm.
Many Megasoma species (Megasoma elephas, Megasoma thersites, Megasoma gyas, Megasoma cedrosa, Megasoma anubis, Megasoma occidentale, Megasoma joergenseni, Megasoma vogti) have thin microscopic hairs (setae) covering nearly their entire bodies, giving the appearance of being pale or orange.
Males of most species have large horns that they use to wrestle with other males. Females do not have horns.
Larvae feed on tree or shrub roots. Adults usually drink tree sap or suck juice from fruit.
Adult Megasoma are nocturnal and are attracted to lights, and are often seen resting in trees.
Dynastinae or rhinoceros beetles are a subfamily of the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae). Other common names – some for particular groups of rhinoceros beetles – include Hercules beetles, unicorn beetles or horn beetles. Over 1500 species and 225 genera of rhinoceros beetles are known.
Actaeon beetle is a rhinoceros beetle of the family Scarabaeidae.
Melolonthinae is a subfamily of the scarab beetles. It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains over 11,000 species in over 750 genera. Some authors include the scarab subfamilies Euchirinae and Pachypodinae as tribes in the Melolonthinae.
Tomarus is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Dynastinae, the rhinoceros beetles. They are native to the Americas, where they are distributed from the central United States to Argentina, and a few species occur in the Caribbean.
Protaetia is a genus of beetles of the family Scarabaeidae, occurring primarily in Asia, and containing over 300 species.
Megasoma gyas is a species of large Neotropical rhinoceros beetles. There are no recognized subspecies.
Coprini is a tribe of scarab beetles, in the dung beetle subfamily (Scarabaeinae). Scholtz et al. describe them as tunnellers that are shiny black, of moderate to large size and with a strongly convex shape. They also, however state that the grouping based on these characteristics has little phylogenetic validity, and the placement of several genera in this and related tribes is likely to change.
Phanaeini is a tribe of dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 12 genera and 200 described species in Phanaeini.
Haroldiataenius is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about nine described species in Haroldiataenius.
Thyce is a genus of May beetles and junebugs in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least two described species in Thyce.
Pseudataenius is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least three described species in Pseudataenius.
Hypothyce is a genus of May beetles and junebugs in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least three described species in Hypothyce.
Ateuchini is a tribe of dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least 30 genera and 370 described species in Ateuchini.
Pseudocanthon is a genus of in the beetle family Scarabaeidae. There are about nine described species in Pseudocanthon.
Ataeniopsis is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 15 described species in Ataeniopsis.
Tesarius is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about five described species in Tesarius.
Odontopsammodius is a genus of aphodiine dung beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 12 described species in Odontopsammodius.
Aphonus is a genus of rhinoceros beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about six described species in Aphonus.
Malagoniella is a genus of in the beetle family Scarabaeidae. There are about 10 described species in Malagoniella.
Gymnetina is a genus of fruit and flower chafers in the family of beetles known as Scarabaeidae. There are about six described species in Gymnetina.
Data related to Megasoma at Wikispecies
Media related to Megasoma at Wikimedia Commons