Atlas beetle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atlas beetle |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chalcosoma
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| Species: |
atlas
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The Atlas beetle (Chalcosoma atlas) is a truly enormous type of beetle that lives in Southeast Asia. These amazing insects belong to the family Scarabaeidae, which includes many other large and fascinating beetles. Male Atlas beetles are easy to spot because they have three impressive horns! This beetle gets its name from Atlas, a powerful giant in Greek mythology who was said to hold up the sky.
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Meet the Amazing Atlas Beetle!
The Atlas beetle, like its relatives in the Chalcosoma group, is famous for its incredible size. Just like in many beetle species, the males are much bigger than the females. Male Atlas beetles can grow to be about 60 to 120 millimeters long, which is quite a stretch! Females are smaller, usually around 25 to 60 millimeters.
What Makes Them Special?
Male Atlas beetles have special horns on their head and on the part of their body called the thorax. They use these horns when they compete with other males to attract females. It's a way for them to show off their strength! You can tell an Atlas beetle apart from some other Chalcosoma species, like the C. caucasus, because the horn on its head has a wider, broader end.
Life as an Atlas Beetle Larva
The young stage of the Atlas beetle is called a larva. These larvae are known for being quite active. If you were to touch one, it might even give a little nip! They spend their time growing and eating, preparing to transform into adult beetles.
Where Do Atlas Beetles Live?
You can find the magnificent Chalcosoma atlas beetles in the warm, tropical regions of Southeast Asia. They thrive in the lush forests of countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Nature's Helpers: Parasitoids
Sometimes, other creatures play a role in the life of the Atlas beetle. One such creature is a parasitoid called the giant scoliid wasp (Megascolia procer). A parasitoid is an insect that uses another insect as a host for its young. This wasp has a special way of hunting: it uses a paralyzing venom to make the beetle unable to move, which helps the wasp lay its eggs safely.
Different Kinds of Atlas Beetles
Within the Atlas beetle species, there are several different types, called subspecies. These subspecies often live in different areas and might have slight variations. Here are some of them:
- Chalcosoma atlas atlas (Linnaeus, 1758) - Found on Sulawesi island.
- Chalcosoma atlas butonensis Nagai, 2004 - Lives on Buton island.
- Chalcosoma atlas keyboh Nagai, 2004 - Found in Malaysia and Sumatra.
- Chalcosoma atlas mantetsu Nagai, 2004 - Lives in Thailand and Vietnam.
- Chalcosoma atlas simeuluensis Nagai, 2004 - Found on Simeulue island.
- Chalcosoma atlas sintae Nagai, 2004 - Lives on the Peleng islands.
- Chalcosoma atlas hesperus (Erichson, 1834) - Found in the Philippines.
Gallery
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This image shows the difference between male and female Atlas beetles, called sexual dimorphism. It's from Charles Darwin's book, The Descent of Man, published in 1882.
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A group of male Atlas beetles.
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A female Atlas beetle.
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A male Atlas beetle, clearly showing its wide head horn.
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