Atlas beetles are a very large species of beetle. Males can reach 2.4 to 4.7 inches in length, but the females are smaller. Their scientific name is Chalcosoma atlas, and they belong to the family Scarabaeidae. In this extraordinary YouTube clip, you see some colossal examples in captivity. In the wild, however, they are a native species of Southeast Asia; mainly found in Malaysia but with some in Indonesia and the Philippines. Their name comes from Atlas, the figure in Greek mythology who holds up the sky.. They use their phenomenal strength for wrestling. Let’s find out why and how they do it.
Wrestling Beetles
The Atlas beetle wrestles male rivals.
©ethylalkohol/Shutterstock.com
Adult males wrestle to gain mating rights with a female. They have specialized, trident-shaped horns growing from their heads and thoraxes. The cephalic horn grows from its head, and two more grow from its thorax. Atlas beetle larvae that are well-fed turn into adults with larger horns!
The males use these huge horns to lock onto a rival and try to force him backward. The more powerful males can leverage their opponents and unceremoniously dump them. If this happens on a branch, the unfortunate victim is flung onto the forest floor. As you can see in the clip, some of these contests end quite quickly because one of the beetles is significantly larger and more powerful than the other. If they are equally matched in strength, however, the fight can go on for some time. At this point, the contest becomes a test of both endurance and strength. Eventually, one will become so exhausted that they have to concede defeat. Severe injuries can occur—some beetles even lose limbs!
Pinching Power
You will have noticed in the clip that Atlas beetle battles are all about pushing and not about pinching. They cannot pinch from the front because attacks tend to come from above. They typically live in tropical rainforests, on the branches of fruit trees. They can also be found in plantations and secondary forests. Here, they feed on leaves, fruits, and flowers. However, there are animals in the forest that also want to eat them! Adult Atlas beetles are primarily preyed on by larger birds and rodents. They are able to pinch the gap between their head and thorax as a defense mechanism. This defense may be enough to deter some predators, but it did not stop the person in the video clip!
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