''Mecynorhina torquata'' is a beetle from the subfamily

Cetoniinae Flower chafers are a group of scarab beetles, comprising the subfamily Cetoniinae. Many species are diurnal and visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or to browse on the petals. Some species also feed on fruit. The group is also called fruit ...

, tribe Goliathini.

Description

''Mecynorhina torquata'' is among the largest

flower beetle Flower chafers are a group of scarab beetles, comprising the subfamily Cetoniinae. Many species are diurnal and visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or to browse on the petals. Some species also feed on fruit. The group is also called fruit and ...

s in the world, only surpassed by the goliath beetles. It reaches about of length in the males, while the females are slightly smaller, reaching about of length. The basic colour is green with whitish markings on the elytra. The males have a horn in the forehead. The larvae can reach about of length in the males, with a weight of about 30-40g.

Distribution

These beetles are native to tropical Africa, especially in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

and

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The sou ...

Research

Cyborgs of ''M. torquata'' have been created by implanting electrodes and a radio device. By sending radio signals to make the electrodes stimulate the muscles, it is possible to control the beetle's walking and flight.

Subspecies

* ''Mecynorhina torquata immaculicollis'' (Kraatz, 1890) * ''Mecynorhina torquata poggei'' (Kraatz, 1890) * ''Mecynorhina torquata torquata'' (Drury, 1782) * '' Mecynorhina torquata ugandensis'' Moser, 1907 – sometimes treated as a separate species

References

Biolib

{{Taxonbar, from=Q6804905 Cetoniinae Beetles described in 1782