The elephant beetle (Megasoma elephas) is a member of the family Scarabaeidae and the subfamily Dynastinae.
It's not difficult to see how the elephant beetle got its name. Tusk-like horns make the beetles look more than a little like their namesakes. But it's not just their horns that set them apart from other beetles. The beetles truly are elephant-sized when compared with other beetle species, which tend to run much smaller.
The three-horned elephant beetle looks like it would be at home roaming the planet with the dinosaurs. The length of the beetle's horns varies depending on whether the beetle is a “major” or “minor” elephant beetle. Major elephant beetles have one long horn with two slightly shorter horns on either side. Side horns on minor beetles are much shorter than the middle horns. Only males have horns: female have small growths on their heads where the horns would be located. Elephant beetles range in size from 2 1/2 to 3 inches long.
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16 July 2023
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