“Atlas”
the Neptune beetle
Scientific
name: Ranzania bertolonta
Geographic location: Tanzania, Africa
Artist: Jessa Huebing-Reitinger
Medium: Oil on canvas 60’ x 72” 2004
Performance venue: The Kansas City Zoo, Kansas City, MO. USA
The
specimen for “Atlas” was donated by Barry Brandon
and Terie Unger, avid beetle collectors, bug artists, and
big supporters of Project InSECT. “Atlas” comes
from Tanzania, Africa and was tagged in 1997. The males and
females of this species look very similar in shape and color.
A visual difference between the two is the hook horns on top
of the males head and shovel formed face. Notice the cactus
like texture on his forelegs and hair pads under the front
feet.
His name comes from the Greek Mythological figure Atlas the
giant, who was made to hold the earth on his shoulders. When
Atlas was placed in a variety of light, his iridescent color
changed and thus he could be viewed with blue shoulders, which
reminded Jessa of the myth of Atlas. Jessa had envisioned
a superman style pose, which reflects his mythological personality.
