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Megasoma mars
Range:  Amazon Basin of northern South America
Size:  80 - 120 mm

Megasoma mars is one of the less frequently encountered of the larger Megasoma species, and is not particularly common.  It is rather restricted in distribution, occurring mainly in the west-central Amazon Basin of Brazil, and ranging north into Colombia.  Both sexes are solidly black in color, and have very shiny armor.  The thoracic horns are slender and divergent in this species, as opposed to thick and parallel, as is the case in M. actaeon.  The female M. mars is also readily distinguishable, as her elytra are smooth and shiny black, instead of rough and granular as in M. actaeon.
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The male M. mars.  Note the cephalic horn, which is extremely elongated in this species.  Both the cephalic and thoracic horns of M. mars are much more slender than those of M. actaeon.
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Megasoma mars (male)

 
Megasoma mars (male)
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A dorsal view of M. mars.  Like all Megasoma species, M. mars is equipped with very strong legs bearing large tarsal claws for aid in maintaining a tight grip on tree branches.
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A pair of M. mars.  In the genus Megasoma, females are quite large in size, and often have weights comparable to that of the males.
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Megasoma mars (pair)

 
Megasoma mars (female)
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Another view of the same female.  Notice that her elytra are very shiny, which is an immediate means of distinguishing her from the female of M. actaeon, which has elytra of a very rough texture.
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