image credit Axel Strauß via wikipedia
The Giraffe weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) is a funny looking beetle that is endemic to Madagascar, a large island off the coast of east Africa. I have no doubt that you have already guessed how it got its name… However what you may not know is that the Giraffe weevil is sexually dimorphic, in other words the neck of the male is typically 2 to 3 times longer than the female's. The extended neck can be used to fight for the right to mate with a female (pretty much like real giraffes do). When it comes time to breed, the female on the other hand, will use her powerful legs and neck to roll a leaf-tube nest into which a single egg is layed within it. She then finally snips the leaf roll off to fall to the forest floor to hatch.
Well, if you think that a long neck and large size isn’t enough to make this beetle stand out, I have no doubt that its bright red wing covers will certainly make you change your mind – oh yes, it flies too! Since they are a newly found species (2008), we may find out more remarkable things about them in the near future...
No comments:
Post a Comment