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The Anatomy of the Rhinoceros Beetle

Rhinoceros beetles are a subfamily of beetles that are among the largest and heaviest in the world. There are around 300 species of rhino beetles, all of which are distinct for their enormous size. They are, however, harmless to humans as they cannot bite nor sting. Though there are specific anatomical features distinct to the various species, the general rhino beetle anatomy remains similar across all of them.
  1. Head

    • The head, like most other invertebrates, contains the brain of the animal as well as its mouth parts, which are mandibles designed to eat soft vegetation. The head also contains two small antennae, which the beetle uses to help sense the world around it. Beetles have compound eyes, which are large eyes made up of several small photoreceptors (as if it is one eye made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller ones) that give them a 360-degree view.

    Body and Skeleton

    • Like most other insects, the rhino beetle's body is divided into three distinct segments: the head, the thorax and the abdomen. The thorax is right behind the head and is bigger than the head, while the abdomen composes most of its body and contains the wings, digestive system and other internal parts. The entire top portion of the rhino beetle's body is covered by a thick exoskeleton. The exoskeleton will vary in color between species, but it is uniformly strong and designed to protect the animal from predators.

    Wings

    • Most rhino beetles are capable of flight and have two distinct sets of wings. The first set are not true wings, but are hard casings designed to protect the real wings underneath. The elytrons, or front wings, will expand out at nearly 90 degrees, which exposes the hind wings underneath. The hind wings are soft, thin and membranous. The beetles use these to fly, as these beetles are attracted to a variety of light sources.

    Horns

    • Male rhino beetles generally have two horns. The first horn curves upward from the front of the head while the second curves forward from the base of the thorax (the second body segment). The rhino beetle can pinch the two horns together if it moves its head upward and its thorax forward, which it may use to grab onto opponents such as other males. The size and shape of the horns will vary from species to species. Some rhino beetles will not have prominent horns, while others, such as the Hercules beetle, have thorax horns so large that they extend past their heads.


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