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Biggest
Insect....
GOLIATH BEETLE
Goliathus regius Klug
Beetles
are Masters of the Planet
The first species
of insect that could be called a beetle
appeared on earth over 300 million years ago. And they've been here
ever since, increasing their numbers, evolving into countless different
varieties, and adapting to climates in almost every environment
possible. Of all the billions of insects on earth those belonging
to the beetle family are the most numerous of any other species.
By sheer numbers alone, beetles have won the title of The Most Successful
Form of Life. Beetles inhabit every corner of the globe in all kinds
of weather. You could say that we're living on the planet of the
beetles.
The Goliath beetle
belongs to the scarab
family, which contains more than 30,000 species. Not insects -
species of insects. That's just 30,000 different types
of scarab beetles. There are hundreds of thousands of living beetles
of each type, and there are many more types of scarab beetles
that have yet to be discovered. The numbers just boggle the mind.
Mother Nature's
Janitors
These
giants of the insect world like to eat dead plant material and dung
(animal feces, you know - poo). Ew! But that's O.K. We'd be living
in a pretty smelly world if there was no one around to clean up
and make use of all the fecal material every living thing
on this earth produces every day. Think about it - that's
an awful lot of poop. Thank goodness for scarab beetles like the
goliath beetle who help to recycle "used material" and keep the
earth a clean place to live (which is more than we can say for some
humans!). They are making efficient use of natural resources.
Have there Been
Bigger Bugs?
Some
Paleontologists have discovered fossils of some cockroaches that
were far bigger during the Jurassic period than they are today.
Scientists aren't really sure why they were bigger back then (wasn't
everything?), but it may have had to something to do with the warmer
climate. Earth today has warm, tropical zones only around the equator,
but during the Jurassic and Triassic periods temperatures around
the globe were warmer. If it was the warm climate that contributed
to the large size of the ancient species, we may be seeing larger
species of beetles appearing as global warming continues. They may
even be evolving as we speak.
Why
Are Beetles so Successful?
It would appear from
the success of beetles that Mother Nature loves them. Their incredible
ability to adapt to any environment ensures that their presence
will continue, probably long after humans have disappeared from
earth. One of the most important features of the beetles that makes
them distinctly beetles is their elytra
- the hard exoskeletal
covering over their wings. Elytra have many
functions, the most important of which is protection for the beetle.
Some
species are able to trap moisture on their wings and hold it because
of the protection from the heat and wind that the elytra offer. This
has allowed some species to travel to deserts, where moisture is scarce,
because they can carry their own water with them. Other species can
live under water because they are able to trap air in their wings
and keep it under the elytra.
How
do scientists know that the goliath beetle is the largest of all the
insects? By doing taxonomy
studies in the field. You know, collecting, measuring, cataloging,
and labeling them. There are lots of very large insects in the world,
many are longer than the goliath beetle. The reason the goliath beetle
wins the title of biggest is because of its weight. Of all the insects
discovered so far, the goliath beetle is the world's record holder
for size. There may be others out there, lurking in the jungle, that
are even bigger than the goliath beetle. That's what's so cool about
being an entomologist - going out into the world and discovering new
species of insects never before seen by human eyes. You never know
what you'll find around the corner...
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