Mexican Rhino Beetle

[Peter Clausen]

My parents live in Mexico and caught these in a place I can't spell or pronounce, at about 11,000 elevation. They are pretty distinctive so I'm guessing somebody out there must know what they are. I'm going to be working with my mom to create a Bugs of Mexico website.

 

[Dynastes]

The first one is a male Golofa pizarro. The second may be a small G. pizarro or a different species in that genus.

 

[Peter Clausen]

I had suggested to my mom (Lynn) that it might be a different species, but she was pretty sure it was something different and said the photo didn't really show some of the differences very well (and that the head has since fallen off).

The G. pizzaro seems to have a much more impressive upper horn than my mom's specimen (which could just be a runty specimen).

On the following sales site are some photos of Golofa spp. and a listing of a Mexican species called Golofa pusillus.

http://www.thebugmaniac.be/onderverdelingb...IDAE/golofa.htm

I then found this site with a G. pusillus photo that is more similiar to the second beetle with the short, rounded horn on the pronotum.

http://www.insect-sale.com/photo.asp?photo=Golofa-pusillus

and this from Mexico also (this could be the other one):

http://www.insect-sale.com/photo.asp?photo=Golofa-imperialis

Thanks for the lead on the genus!

 

[Dynastes]

G.pussilus is rare and the bump on the pronotum should be upright (perpendicular to the pronotum) not forward.

 

[Regiarbol]

Even though I am not that familiar with Golofa, I think it might be Golofa Pizzaro.