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World's largest flying aquatic insect has been discovered in China!
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Keyser_Soze1
09-08-2014
Megasoma sp. - the Elephant beetles are not too shabby either and may be the bulkiest (and heaviest) insects in the world.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/56/13...d82ec7ff_o.jpg

http://www.sciencephoto.com/image/36...beetle-SPL.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/i...CUQiJgXjmaQIcQ

http://www.foundshit.com/pictures/an...uge-bug-02.jpg

http://www.boingboing.net/filesroot/200806051159.jpg
seacam
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by jesaya:
“Yes, a beautiful and amazing creature... but honestly, if one flew in your window you would have the screaming hab-dabs, wouldn't you.”

'esus yes!
Keyser_Soze1
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by seacam:
“'esus yes!”

Awww and what about poor little spiders?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LbccUVbSRd...er+-+Wired.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psbef8dbb0.jpg

http://lazerhorse.org/wp-content/upl...ults-Hands.jpg

http://lazerhorse.org/wp-content/upl...-In-Jungle.jpg

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/...antula_goliath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjgRFONRwJ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klHDzIIrsjY
Safi74
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“For the record those gigantic pincers that the males have are only used for mating and it is totally harmless.”

Look more like built in S&M equipment IMO!😱
Safi74
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“Maybe the females really like to see a male with a nice long pincer? ”

😳😉😈!!
Safi74
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“Awww and what about poor little spiders?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LbccUVbSRd...er+-+Wired.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psbef8dbb0.jpg

http://lazerhorse.org/wp-content/upl...ults-Hands.jpg

http://lazerhorse.org/wp-content/upl...-In-Jungle.jpg

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/...antula_goliath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjgRFONRwJ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klHDzIIrsjY”

Arrrrrrrrrrgh!!!! I seriously nearly had an accident when I opened up the first one...couldn't face the rest!!! I can't cope with spiders! 😭😭
lemoncurd
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“
For the record those gigantic pincers that the males have are only used for mating

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/ass...al-gallery.jpg”

F*** the pincers, look at the size of the bloody eggs the thing lays!!
Keyser_Soze1
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by Safi74:
“Arrrrrrrrrrgh!!!! I seriously nearly had an accident when I opened up the first one...couldn't face the rest!!! I can't cope with spiders! 😭😭”

The Goliath Birdeater - a very impressive beast indeed.
Safi74
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“The Goliath Birdeater - a very impressive beast indeed. ”

I couldn't even look at it!!! Urgh!
anne_666
09-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“Megasoma sp. - the Elephant beetles are not too shabby either and may be the bulkiest (and heaviest) insects in the world.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/56/13...d82ec7ff_o.jpg

http://www.sciencephoto.com/image/36...beetle-SPL.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/i...CUQiJgXjmaQIcQ

http://www.foundshit.com/pictures/an...uge-bug-02.jpg

http://www.boingboing.net/filesroot/200806051159.jpg”

Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“Awww and what about poor little spiders?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LbccUVbSRd...er+-+Wired.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/i...psbef8dbb0.jpg

http://lazerhorse.org/wp-content/upl...ults-Hands.jpg

http://lazerhorse.org/wp-content/upl...-In-Jungle.jpg

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/...antula_goliath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjgRFONRwJ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klHDzIIrsjY”

Bloody marvelous!
Ovalteenie
10-08-2014
I seem to recall being told in school that insects are necessarily limited in size - it's to do with their respiration/circulation system as they don't have lungs?
Ovalteenie
10-08-2014
btw I really do not want to click on any of the posted links. Thank goodness DS doesn't allow image embedding
Keyser_Soze1
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by Ovalteenie:
“I seem to recall being told in school that insects are necessarily limited in size - it's to do with their respiration/circulation system as they don't have lungs? ”

Yes but recent research is questioning this as far too simplistic.

It is a very complicated subject.

Anyway the gigantic prehistoric 'Griffinflys' (Meganisoptera) were impressive enough.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...euramodell.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protodonata

I may post much more on these on my Paleo-thread. Carnivorous insects the size of falcons are pretty cool after all.
0...0
10-08-2014
Bloody hell K, that's beautiful, strange and bloody scary too. I'd run out the room if one of those flew in!!!
Keyser_Soze1
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by 0...0:
“Bloody hell K, that's beautiful, strange and bloody scary too. I'd run out the room if one of those flew in!!!”

Yes indeed!

I love the beautiful filigreed wings that this wonderful creature has - a bit like a stain glassed window.

Actually I am quite surprised that this discovery seems to have gotten so little attention - it would be perfect for a cheerful little end story on the news - which at present is so bloody depressing with ISIS, Gaza and Ebola dominating the schedules.
Chris Mark
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by Vernon Bennett:
“At least it's something else they can eat.”

Eating insects isn't really that diffrent from eating prawns and other crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters really.

In fact insects are more closely related to crustaceans than they are to arachnids and most other arthropods. I must admit that this insect does look bizarre though.
Keyser_Soze1
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by Chris Mark:
“Eating insects isn't really that diffrent from eating prawns and other crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters really.

In fact insects are more closely related to crustaceans than they are to arachnids and most other arthropods. I must admit that this insect does look bizarre though.”

Of course and insects are a wonderful and cheap source of protein.

But I think the point was about how many cruel practices there still are in Asia - shark-finning, bear-bile farming, slitting snakes open alive and eating their guts in restaurants, devouring live octopuses, and slaughtering elephants, rhinos, tigers or anything else that moves for totally bullshit 'traditional' medicine.
Chris Mark
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“Of course and insects are a wonderful and cheap source of protein.

But I think the point was about how many cruel practices there still are in Asia - shark-finning, bear-bile farming, slitting snakes open alive and eating their guts in restaurants, devouring live octopuses, and slaughtering elephants, rhinos, tigers or anything else that moves for totally bullshit 'traditional' medicine. ”

True, but let's not forget that Europeans were doing the same thing until relatively recently. Of course that doesn't make it right.

I haven't had the pleasure but I'd eat insects no problem.
bossoftheworld
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by avasgranny:
“ i was just thinking that. As much as I love animals etc etc I would seriously freak out if this appeared in my house.”

I'd run right out of my house never to return till it had been gotten rid of. Sorry but it gives me the herby jeebies.
Keyser_Soze1
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by bossoftheworld:
“I'd run right out of my house never to return till it had been gotten rid of. Sorry but it gives me the herby jeebies.”

What is missing from this thread is Scolopendra gigantea.

Unfortunately the pictures of a specimen with a total length of over 43 cm are no longer on the Arachnoboards site - I was going to post photos of this super-massive example of this formidable centipede.

But for anybody interested in the beast just type in the name and go to images.
anne_666
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“What is missing from this thread is Scolopendra gigantea.

Unfortunately the pictures of a specimen with a total length of over 43 cm are no longer on the Arachnoboards site - I was going to post photos of this super-massive example of this formidable centipede.

But for anybody interested in the beast just type in the name and go to images. ”

You lazy devil. There we are tons of the monsters and aren't they grand. Is the 43 centimetre one amongst that lot?.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=43...w=1366&bih=643
Keyser_Soze1
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by anne_666:
“You lazy devil. There we are tons of the monsters and aren't they grand. Is the 43 centimetre one amongst that lot?.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=43...w=1366&bih=643”

Sadly not.

It's body was 35 cm long (the extra 8 cm being the antenna and the back legs).

I went to the page and the photos no longer work they are all impressive but that one in particular was a tremendous specimen - and very beautiful as well.

The largest on record is in the Paris Natural History museum IIRC and had a body length of around 37.5 cm.
anne_666
10-08-2014
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“Sadly not.

It's body was 35 cm long (the extra 8 cm being the antenna and the back legs).

I went to the page and the photos no longer work they are all impressive but that one in particular was a tremendous specimen - and very beautiful as well.

The largest on record is in the Paris Natural History museum IIRC and had a body length of around 37.5 cm.”

This is their website. I've looked at it but got lost.

http://www.mnhn.fr/fr
Keyser_Soze1
11-08-2014
Originally Posted by anne_666:
“This is their website. I've looked at it but got lost.

http://www.mnhn.fr/fr”

I think I have found the 35cm (total length 43 cm) monster Ann and what a real beauty she is - just look at the sheer width of her body!

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9755/sgigantea4kp2.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3056/sgigantea5pi6.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8...gantea1yf4.jpg

This is another huge animal.

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/20...us-d38caow.jpg

http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...us-d38cang.jpg

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...us-d39e69k.jpg
MTUK1
11-08-2014
We have our own big critters.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...elicopter.html

8" dragonfly's in the UK this summer.
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