Xylotrupes gideon
| Xylotrupes gideon | |
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| Xylotrupes gideon, dorsal view | |
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| Xylotrupes gideon, lateral view | |
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| Species: | X. gideon
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| Binomial name | |
| Xylotrupes gideon (Linnaeus, 1767)
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The brown rhinoceros beetle or fighting beetle, Xylotrupes gideon, is a species of large scarab beetle belonging to the subfamily Dynastinae. It is particularly known for its role in insect fighting in Thailand.
Subspecies
- Xylotrupes gideon borneensis Minck, 1920
- Xylotrupes gideon boudanti Silvestre, 2006
- Xylotrupes gideon gideon (Linnaeus, 1767)
- Xylotrupes gideon lakorensis Silvestre, 2002
- Xylotrupes gideon sawuensis Silvestre, 2002
- Xylotrupes gideon sondaicus Silvestre, 2002
Distribution
This species can be found across much of Southeast Asia, south to Australia and east to the Solomon Islands.[3]
Description
Xylotrupes gideon can reach a length of 3.5–7 centimetres (1.4–2.8 in).[4] As usual with horn beetles there is a great difference between the genders. Males are larger than females. They have two chitinous bifurcated horns, a thick thoracic horn and a smaller cephalic horn, which they use to eliminate their rivals during the mating period.[4] These beetles are shiny dark red, dark brown, or black in coloration. The eyes are located on each side of the head. When disturbed these beetles make a hissing noise, produced by rubbing the tip of the abdomen against the edge the elytra.[5]
The larvae develop in decaying vegetable matter and take usually two years in development, the adult beetles live 2–4 months. A female can lay about 20-30 eggs but it depends on the place where they lived .[6]2-
Beetle fighting
These beetles are used for staging beetle fights, a traditional entertainment popular in the northern region of Thailand. They are captured and trained by their owners to become stronger and more aggressive.[7] In the fight the beetle that lifts its opponent up by its horns wins. A bug may also win if his opponent walks away, falls or is overturned.[8] Insect fighting is mostly practiced in the Chiang Mai and Nan provinces of Thailand. It is also popular in Myanmar and Northern Laos. Spectators usually place bets on the fights.[9] Insect coaches claim that their activity provides a free pastime while drawing attention upon insects that would otherwise have been ignored or just killed as pests.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Biolib
- ^ Catalogue of life
- ^ Australian Faunal Directory Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Natural World
- ^ "Xylotrupes gideon (Rhinoceros beetle) - JCU". Retrieved 2009-08-29.
- ^ Brisbane Insects
- ^ Bangkok Post - Beetle fighting revival Archived December 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ A travel experience: Rhinoceros beetles in Thailand's combat arena
- ^ Beetle fighting Archived February 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide
- Rowland, J.M. (2011) Notes on nomenclature in Xylotrupes Hope (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Dynastini)
External links
