Samoan Rhinoceros Beetle vs Desert Tiger Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Samoan Rhinoceros Beetle Desert Tiger Beetle
Scientific Name Scapanes australis Cicindela hemorrhagica
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Scarabaeidae Cicindelidae
Size 40-70 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Farmland Deserts & Drylands
Diet Wood Feeders Predators
Regions Oceania (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa) North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Samoan Rhinoceros Beetle

A large rhinoceros beetle found in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and parts of Samoa. Males have a large forked horn on the head. It is associated with palm trees and is attracted to fermenting coconut sap.

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Did You Know?

Males use their forked head horn to pry rival males off tree trunks during battles over feeding and mating sites.

Desert Tiger Beetle

A bright red and green tiger beetle that hunts along the edges of desert streams and alkaline flats. It is an extremely fast runner relative to its body size.

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Did You Know?

It runs so fast that its eyes cannot process images quickly enough, forcing it to stop and re-aim at prey.