Megaceras briansaltini explained

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]

M. briansaltini was listed ninth in the top species of 2008 by the International Institute for Species Exploration.[2]

Notes and References

  1. 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 . 10.1649/0010-065X(2007)61[463:ARNSOM]2.0.CO;2.
  2. Web site: Number 9 – Life Imitates Art: "Dim" Rhinoceros beetle . https://web.archive.org/web/20090119062204/http://species.asu.edu/2008_species09. 2009-01-19. dead. Top 10 New Species - 2008 . . September 19, 2010.