Xylotrupes socrates
Species of beetle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Xylotrupes socrates, commonly known as the Siamese rhinoceros beetle[citation needed] or fighting beetle[citation needed] (Thai: กว่างชน),[failed verification] is a species of large scarab beetle belonging to the subfamily Dynastinae. It is particularly known for its role in insect fighting in Thailand.[citation needed]
| Xylotrupes socrates | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Adult male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Scarabaeiformia |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Genus: | Xylotrupes |
| Species: | X. socrates |
| Binomial name | |
| Xylotrupes socrates Schaufuss, 1864 | |
| Synonyms | |
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Description
_mating_(7783024650).jpg)
Like most dynastid beetles, the adult male of X. socrates possesses two horns: one on the head and another on the pronotum, both bifurcate and curling inward. Adult females lack these horns. Both sexes have dark chestnut-brown (in younger beetles) or black (in older beetles) exoskeletons and elytra.[1]
Distribution
Beetle fighting
These beetles are used for staging beetle fights, a traditional form of entertainment popular in the northern region of Thailand.[failed verification] They are captured and trained to become stronger and more aggressive.[3] In the fight the beetle that lifts its opponent up by its horns wins. A beetle may also win if his opponent crawls away, falls, or is overturned.[4] Insect fighting is mostly practiced in the Chiang Mai and Nan provinces of Thailand. It is also popular in Myanmar and Northern Laos. Spectators typically place bets on the fights.[5] Insect fighting coaches claim their activity provides a free pastime while drawing attention to insects that would otherwise have been ignored or simply killed as pests.[6]
