search articles:     from the issue of August 25, 2005         UNL expertise fast tracks fossil into record books UNL expertise has fast tracked a west coast discovery into the fossil record books.     This scarab beetle fossil, identified by UNL entomologist Brett Ratcliffe, ranks as the world's largest ever found. The beetle was uncovered by the University of Colorado geologist Dena Smith and paleontologist from the University of California at Berkley. Courtesy photo. A scarab beetle fossil, found in north-central Oregon, has been identified by entomologist Brett Ratcliffe, curator of insects at the NU State Museum, as the world's largest known scarab fossil. Representing a new genus and species of scarab beetle, Oryctoantiquus borealis was officially named in July. The fossil was found in the 45-million-year-old Eocene Clarno Formation by geologist Dena Smith (University of Colorado) and paleontologists from the University of California at Berkley. Smith was referred to Ratcliffe, who leads an internationally recognized lab that specializes in the taxonomy of scarab beetles. "This specimen is also the oldest specimen attributable to a group of scarabs known as rhinoceros beetles," Ratcliffe said. "Rhinoceros beetles today contain some of the most spectacular insects on Earth because of the large size and extravagant horns in the males of some species. There have been only a handful of rhinoceros beetle fossils discovered and named previously, but none approach Oryctoantiquus borealis in size or age." The largest known fossil scarab had been Cheirotonus otai, a 45 mm long-arm chafer (not a rhino beetle) from the Middle Miocene in Japan, while the new species is 50 mm in length. The new genus name, Oryctoantiquus, comes from the Greek "oryktes," which means digger, and the Latin "antiquus", meaning old, while the species name, borealis, means northern in reference to its northerly location in Oregon. The discovery caused a stir among entomologists because the location proves that large rhinoceros beetles existed in northwestern North America 38 million years before the Panama land bridge was established seven million years ago. Entomologists had not previously known of any large scarabs in North America that did not have their ancestors coming from Central or South America. This fossil demonstrates that large rhinoceros beetles entered North America earlier from other areas, possibly Asia. An article describing the fossil beetle was published in Coleopterists Bulletin, a scientific journal devoted to the study of beetles. GO TO: ISSUE OF AUGUST 25 NEWS HEADLINES FOR AUGUST 25 Rocking locksmith finds niche Open house to showcase Seaton Hall Scarlet begins new semester with new look Theologian to open Thompson series FROM THE ARCHIVES Panel recommends keeping CASNR name Soy oil research helps shape global food allergen labeling UNL expertise fast tracks fossil into record books UNL maintains top 50 ranking in U.S. News 732183S34756X