Basic Information
The giraffe weevil is a very distinctive insect found in Madagascar. It has a high-contrast black-and-red body. Exhibiting bizarre sexual dimorphism, the neck of the male Giraffe Weevil can be easily 3 times as long as the neck of the female. Their manipulative pedipalps on the head lend to a strange appearance, that would be much creepier if they weren't just an inch (2.5 cm) long. They use this long neck-and-arms to manipulate and roll up leaves into tubes, which the female then lays a single egg in. Males use their long necks as weapons while fighting with other males, to push and wrestle with the opponent. The winner will then mate with a nearby female.
They are believed to be peaceful insects, showing no aggression towards other species.
Due to the species recent discovery, their conservation status has yet to be officially evaluated. However, their populations seem to be healthy and not threatened by human activity. Furthermore, they have no known predators.
See also: 13 Real Animals Lifted Directly Out of Your Nightmares
Sources
Game and Story Use
- A little creepy, but not terribly frightening. More noteworthy for the extremely adapted body-shape.
- Rolled up leaves with insect larvae sounds like a crazy drug or cigarette for your fantasy or sci-fi setting.
- A pantheon of gods with human bodies and animal heads (like Egyptian Mythology) could be made a little more alien by including a member with a Giraffe Weevil head.
- Looks like some kind of telehandler to me … might be a good model for biomimetic or biotech handling equipment.