Cheirotonus jansoni: A mysterious beetle once declared extinct but now reappears

In the world of insects, there is such a mysterious and legendary existence. Not only is its name full of misleading, but it has also experienced a dramatic turn from "extinction" to frequent appearance. It is - Cheirotonus jansoni. Although the name contains the word "turtle", it is not the turtle we usually know, but a real giant beetle.

Wonderful appearance

Cheirotonus jansoni is about 40 to 60 mm long and 24 to 32 mm wide. It has a bright dark green carapace, which has a charming metallic luster in the sun, just like a dazzling jewel in the insect world. However, its most striking feature is not its gorgeous coat, but its super-long forelimbs. Especially for male insects, the length of their forelimbs can exceed the length of their bodies! Such exaggerated arms make people wonder if they are participating in some kind of "arm strength competition".

The mystery of the origin of the name "turtle"

The name of Cheirotonus jansoni often leads people to misunderstand that it is related to turtles, but it is actually completely unrelated. This misunderstanding may be due to its heavy shell and slow movements, but the real reason is that it belongs to the family of Brachiodontidae. This misleading name adds a bit of mystery to this insect.

Legendary experience of disappearance and reappearance

As early as 1982, Cheirotonus jansoni was declared extinct. However, in recent years, this mysterious insect that was thought to have disappeared has frequently "reappeared". From Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province to Xuanen County, Hubei Province, and then to Yongtai County, Fujian Province, Cheirotonus jansoni has appeared one after another, making people have to sigh: "Is life on Earth also playing reincarnation?"

The fact is not so fantastic. Scientists point out that Cheirotonus jansoni has a very long life cycle, usually taking at least two years to complete a complete development. In addition, its reproductive capacity is relatively weak and its living environment is demanding, so its number is already scarce. The frequent occurrence of the phenomenon now indicates that the living conditions of their population may have improved, which is undoubtedly a positive signal for ecological protection.

Life of Cheirotonus jansoni

As one of the largest beetles in China, Cheirotonus jansoni generally lives in tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests or evergreen deciduous broad-leaved mixed forests. Their larvae and pupae hide in large rotten woods, and as adults they are often active in oak forests, occasionally attracted by lights, which provides us with an excellent opportunity to observe them.

The significance of protecting Cheirotonus jansoni

Although Cheirotonus jansoni has been frequently discovered in recent years, they are still an endangered species and are protected at the second level of national protection. Their reappearance not only makes us marvel at the tenacious resilience of life, but also reminds us of the importance of protecting the ecological environment.

Some voices in the scientific community believe that we may be on the verge of the sixth mass extinction of species. Regardless of whether this view is too pessimistic, protecting species diversity is a vital task. The reappearance of Cheirotonus jansoni reminds each of us that ecological protection has never stopped. Only by working together to protect the environment on which we depend for survival can these mysterious and beautiful lives continue to show us miracles.

Next time if you encounter a dark green beetle with super long arms in the forest or under the lights, don’t forget to take a closer look. Maybe you are meeting the legendary Cheirotonus jansoni!

animal tags： Cheirotonus-jansoni beetle