Megaceras briansaltini, named in honor of Brian Saltin, son of entomologist Jochen-P. Saltin, is a Peruvian rhinoceros beetle with a horn surprisingly similar to that of the character Dim from Pixar's animated film, A Bug's Life (created eight years before the beetle's discovery), previously unseen in nature (coined the Dim Effect by its discoverer Brett C. Ratcliffe). It remains unclear whether this is a natural feature or an uncommon mutation, as only one specimen has been found.[1]
| Megaceras briansaltini | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamily: | Dynastinae |
| Tribe: | Oryctini |
| Genus: | Megaceras |
| Species: | M. briansaltini
|
| Binomial name | |
| Megaceras briansaltini Ratcliffe, 2007
| |
M. briansaltini was listed ninth in the top species of 2008 by the International Institute for Species Exploration.[2]
References edit
- ^ Brett C. Ratcliffe (2007). "A remarkable new species of Megaceras from Peru (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Oryctini). The "Dim Effect": Nature mimicking art". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 61 (3): 463–467. doi:10.1649/0010-065X(2007)61[463:ARNSOM]2.0.CO;2.
- ^ "Number 9 – Life Imitates Art: "Dim" Rhinoceros beetle". Top 10 New Species - 2008. Arizona State University. Archived from the original on 2009-01-19. Retrieved September 19, 2010.