Oryctoantiquus borealis is the largest known extinct species of beetle in the family Scarabaeidae and is currently the oldest specimen of the subfamily Dynastinae.
Description
Based on their single known fossil, O. borealis is 50 mm in length--5 millimeters longer than the previous largest known Scarabaeidae fossil, Cheirotonus otai.
Habitat & distribution
The only known fossil of O. borealis was found west of the town Mitchell, Oregon. Fossils of flora gathered in the same area indicated that they would have lived in a tropical, forested climate at the time that they thrived. However, during the time they were extant the climate of their habitat changed drastically from tropical to a cooler, temperate climate; this event is known as the Eocene-Oligocene extinction event. This led to O. borealis going extinct, as they were unable to thrive in the new temperate environment.
Etymology
Oryctoantiquus borealis''' genus is derived from the Greek word oryktes, meaning "digger", and the Latin word antiquuis, meaning "old". Thus meaning "old digger", referencing both the Dynastinae family's digging adaptations and the 45 million year old age of the fossil. The species name is derived from the Latin word borealis, meaning "northern" or "north", referencing that O. borealis'' has a northern locality (in contrast to the mainly southern distribution of other beetles in the tribe of oryctine).