Macrodontia cervicornis, The sabertooth longhorn beetle, original watercolour art

Macrodontia cervicornis, The sabertooth longhorn beetle

Macrodontia cervicornis (Linnaeus, 1758), also known as the sabertooth longhorn beetle, is one of the largest beetles, if one allows for the enormous mandibles of the males, from which it derives both of the names in its binomen: Macrodontia means "long tooth", and cervicornis means "deer antler". 

Most of this species life is spent in the larval stage, which can last up to 10 years, while its adult phase is likely to last no more than a few months during which time dispersal and reproduction take place. The female lays eggs under the bark of dead or dying softwood trees, and once hatched, the larvae burrow into the rotting wood, creating extensive galleries over a metre long and 10 cm wide.

This species is known from the rain forests of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, the Guianas, and Brazil.

This was inspired by one of the exhibits of entomology collection of National Natural History Museum of Ukraine in Kyiv. Now it showing in the Museum as a part of the ENTOMOCOSMOS project.

This artwork will be available for shipping after the end of the exhibition at April 10th. If you need this artwork shipped asap - please let us know, so we could act accordingly.

Watercolor and ink, 100% cotton ARCHES paper.

Unframed dimensions: 31x41 cm | 10x14.2 in (delivered in a tube)

Framed dimensions: 40x50x3 cm | 15.7x19.7x1 in (delivered in a box)

Frame: black MDF frame with the acrylic glass and white passe-partout.

MDF frame with acrylic glass and white passepartout