''Sagra femorata'' is a species of beetle belonging to the family Chrysomelidae.
Similar species: Beetles
By SUGIAN1212
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Uploaded Apr 6, 2018. Captured Mar 23, 2018 13:53 in Selingan, Karangtalun, Ngluwar, Magelang, Jawa Tengah 56485, Indonesia.
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Nature is full of extremes. Beautiful, wild, exaggerated creature features. Scientists don’t always understand the reason for these extremes, but we can assume that they have a purpose! Nothing is wasted in nature.
The stunning, metallic frog-legged beetle (Sagra sp.) is an example of a creature with an extreme feature! They exhibit sexual dimorphism with males being much larger and possessing very long, powerful hind legs. This remarkable beetle’s common name is actually derived from the striking resemblance of its hind legs to those of a frog. But, unlike frogs, the beetle’s powerful legs are not for jumping.
Scientists aren’t exactly sure what the purpose of these extreme legs is, but they certainly are not just a cute quirk. Naturally, hypotheses abound. Chunky male legs may attract females. Or, perhaps they are weapons…And, this is where the ideas get interesting. Some researchers suspect that male frog-legged beetles use their fantastic “muscular” legs to wrestle: the purpose being to defend territory or win a female as a mate. Males raise their legs in the air to warn other males to get lost. If their warning is ignored, they beat each other with their hind legs, use them to squeeze their opponent’s abdomen, etc. These are currently just ideas, but hopefully the reason for the frog-legged beetle’s extreme legs will be uncovered with more research! {Sagra femorata spotted in Indonesia by JungleDragon user, Sugianto Tjandra} #JungleDragon #Sagrafemorata #Sagra #Frogleggedbeetle
Sugianto has an impressive portfolio of over 3,000 photos! See more here:
https://www.jungledragon.com/user/3184/popular
https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife Posted 4 years ago