Crested Blitzbeetle

The crested blitzbeetle is one of the smaller insect species in the megaforests, at only half a foot in height. It is named for the double protrusion on the inner edges of its wing covers, the function of which seems to be to attract mates. The crested blitzbeetle is a member of the family veloxidae, coloquially known as blitzbeetles. The species is eaten by the grand king beetle, as well as other predators like the jagged-toothed squirrel and the winded morsaw. All blitzbeetles are capable of movement at incredibly fast speeds, able to outrun most other animals on the forest floor. The crested blitzbeetle lives in burrows stolen from other species, most often abandoned snake or morsaw burrows. It subsists on plant matter, and occasionally feeds off of the carcasses or waste of other animals.

Anatomy

Crested blitzbeetles have three segments: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. The abdomen segment is the largest, and on the back of it are the crested blitzbeetle's elytra and wings, which it uses to fly. The beetle's shell is black, with a bluish tint in the light. However, as the forest floor is rarely lit, this blue is hardly ever seen. The species does have mandibles, though they are small and typically not very strong. They have compound eyes, consisting of multiple smaller visual units. They have sensory hairs on their legs, which also assist with their ability to climb slopes. However, unlike many other blitzbeetle species, the crested blitzbeetle cannot climb vertical surfaces. Scientists suspect that this is due to the crests on their backs causing an imbalance in their centre of gravity.

Scientific Name

Veloxus dorsus

Lifespan

3-5 months

Average Height

4-7 inches

Average Length

6-8 inches

Geographic Distribution

• Megaforest