The Taveuni beetle (''Xixuthrus terribilis'') is known from the island of

Taveuni Taveuni (pronounced ) is the third-largest island in Fiji, after Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, with a total land area of . The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated to the east of ...

in the

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

, and is one of the largest living insect species, with specimens around 14 cm long, excluding legs, antennae, or

mandible In anatomy, the mandible, lower jaw or jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human facial skeleton. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower tooth, teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movabl ...

s. It is closely related to the

giant Fijian long-horned beetle The giant Fijian long-horned beetle (''Xixuthrus '') is native to the island of Viti Levu in Fiji, and is one of the largest living insect species, with specimens around 15 cm long, excluding legs, antennae, or jaws. It is closely related ...

. These beetles have powerful jaws, and should be handled with care when alive. This species has been mistakenly classified under the name ''Xixuthrus heyrovskyi'' since 1945, when it was unwittingly redescribed, and this name still appears in much of the scientific literature.
YANEGA D., D. OLSON D., SHUTE S., KOMIYA Z., 2004 - The ''Xixuthrus'' species of Fiji (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Prioninae)

Bibliography

External links

''Xixuthrus terribilis'' pictures
Prioninae Insects of Fiji Taveuni Beetles described in 1877 {{Prioninae-stub