Dynastidae drawer

[karan]

Hello, this time I want to show you some of the dynastides in my collection.

MEGASOMA MARS Male 111mm Female 65mm

Something that I love in the Megasoma Mars apart from the size are the wrinkles of the elytro, it gives them an incredible appearance.

MEGASOMA ELEPHAS Male 108mm Female 69mm

The male is a wonderful specimen, wait a long time to get one without scratches in the hair. Something that stands out in the female is that it is practically equal to the female of the dynastes hercules both in appearance and size, the difference is that in the female of the hercules hair is born lower than in the megasome.

MEGASOMA ACTEON Male 110mm

I have a female drying

DYNASTES HERCULES ECUATORIANUS Male 106mm

My first Dynastes Hercules, I would like to have many more but it is an expensive beetle, counting that the equatorianus is the cheapest of them, even so I am very satisfied with how it turned out, it is perfect A1 and keeps the hair of the middle of the elytros as can be seen in the detail photo.

XYLOTRUPES DICHOTOMUS POLITUS Male 76mm Female 40mm

A couple who acquired many years ago, and recently after a degreasing process discovered that it was not almost black as it had, but that it recovered its original color that is reddish.

EUPATORUS GRACILICORNIS WINGS SPREAD Male 80mm

I do not usually do it but for this Gracilicornis I made a preparation with the wings spread, they look great but it takes 3 times more space in the drawer.

EUPATORUS GRACILICORNIS Male 70mm Female 55mm

Without comments about the marks I have left on the male for spending time with the relaxing chamber, when this happens to me with any specimen I almost go into depression, time will have to fix it.

GOLOFA CLAVIGER Male 54mm

Something very interesting that is not seen in the photo is the hairy structure that it has under the horn. Male 52mm

XYLOTRUPES GIDEON SUMATRENSIS Male 55mm Female 40mm

EUPATORUS BIRMANICUS Male 52mm

TRICHOGOMPHUS SIMSON Male 52mm

XYLOTRUPES LORQUINI Male 66mm

GOLOFA EACUS Male 40mm

This little boy is 30 years old

CHEIROTONUS GESTROI Male 62mm Female 57mm

I know they are not dynastidae but while, this pair of euchiridae will share their drawer.

In this last photo I wanted to take a close-up of the front legs to see the characteristic that allows us to differentiate it, for example from the Cheirotonus Batarelli, these differences with subtle ones, for example the spike in the lower half of the legs, as well as the curvature of the top of the leg and the position of a mini skewer that has at the end of the upper leg, it is not the skewer that is before the tarsi is a mini skewer in the middle of the skewer.
In short, I go crazy trying to differentiate them with these subtleties.

This image is not my property, but there is very little information about it, if you are the owner and do not want it published here, tell me and I will remove it immediately.

If anyone is interested in this precious classification and photografic work, you can see the variants.

unmondeencouleurs.piwigo.com/index?/category/4893-genus_cheirotonus_hope_1840

See you in the next drawer

[Paul K]

Very nice collection Karan
I only have few specimens of Coleoptera collected in Thailand and just few from F. Guiana as I mainly focus on Lepidoptera, but I may pay more attention for those in the future.
When you look at someone’s collection you get more interest in other things.

Thanks for sharing your beetles with us

[karan]

Thanks to you Paul for the response.
Well, French Guiana is an incredible place for any beetle collector.
Wov Paul I would love how you and other users in this forum can make these entomological trips, on one occasion I try to get in touch with a company that did entomological tourism in the Amazon, but it is a difficult task when you have no knowledge of where to go, permits, exports etc etc.
But I would love to do it at some point, meanwhile I will try to learn what I can from your experiences.

[trehopr1]

A very nice well done drawer again karan ! I very much like your tedious, and symmetrical positioning of the legs and antennae. Quite pleasing to the eye... (if you were a dealer I'd faithfully visit your booth)!

I have most of the species represented as well since I have always had a admiration for the Dynastinae in general. I have only 2 Dynastes hercules myself; due to their popularity and pricing. Mine are both 14.2 cm but, they differ in that one has numerous spots (freckles; I call them); whilst the other has none present (spot-less).

I also have but, one pair of Euchirinae alas, but my species is the larger mahogany brown one known as Cheirotonus longimanus. Still in packaging and yet to spread but, a pretty good sized male by all accounts...

Keep up the wonderful work ! Love seeing the Coleoptera no matter what family. The Coleoptera have always been my 2nd favorite Order of insects.

[karan]

Thank you very much Trephor

It would be very nice to see those Hercules of 14.2, of course that size is a very different insect from mine, and although I have this one without freckles (since it was a bargain of 8 euros )
I like much more those that have them, another species that also has very aesthetic spots for me are those of dynastes hyllus moroni but when I see any specimen they are usually veeeery expensive.
It would be very nice to see those longimanus when you have them ready, meanwhile I publish a photo of my longimanus female, I still haven't found the right male for her, since I am trying to find one with the natural color but it is difficult and expensive.

I take this opportunity to ask you if you know what this remarkable change in color from an almost golden pronotum in male to the dark browns that are usually sold is due to, maybe it has a lot of fat?

On a Japanese page that I do not remember now they have some photos of the living animal with its natural colors and it is simply incredible.
Search in google euchirus longimanus to see the color differences dear readers.

[trehopr1]

Karan, I will try to get a picture sometime of my D. hercules as I have none at the moment. Of coarse, as you know there are plenty of folks out there with far larger and even more impressive examples than mine (ones in the 15 cm. and 16 cm. size range) but, mine are still respectable.

Same with my Cheritonus. Will get a picture sometime of at least the packaged goods until I can spread them. As you say, it could be that those long-armed chafers or at least C. longimanus may just be fatty beetles which naturally oil a bit or become dark upon their passing. A Hindu person of strong beliefs would probably tell you the soul or life force has left the body so all that is left is the vessel...

A curious analogy I suppose but, the truth is not all creatures retain their (as alive) appearance once they have died. Dragonflies, for example scarcely retain any of their natural colors even though their wings are fine. Horseflies lose the fabulous colors of their compound eyes as well; never to be seen again (except in pictures) -- or subsequent live specimens.