the Moluccas, Indonesia
Fine-art photographic collection
Dolichoprosopus lethalis maculatus
A longhorn beetle with a deathly name and a body broken into bold islands of colour.
About this species
Dolichoprosopus lethalis maculatusRitsema, 1881
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Dolichoprosopus lethalis maculatus is a Southeast Asian longhorn form with very long antennae and conspicuous elytral patches. The pattern and appendages transform a cylindrical wood-associated beetle into a visually complex animal.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Cerambycidae · Dolichoprosopus
Accepted subspecies of Dolichoprosopus lethalis. · checked 2026-07-15
the Moluccas, IndonesiaBroad documented range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
What makes this species remarkable?
The maculatus form carries strongly bounded spots across the wing cases, fragmenting the long body into separate visual blocks against bark and foliage.
Its antennae extend far beyond the head and can contact surfaces outside the field of view, functioning as mobile tactile sensors around the body.
The larval stage develops inside wood with a reduced, pale body; the patterned, hard-shelled adult is assembled only during pupation.