American Gallery

Red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri)

Red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) with a person's finger at the open mouth and teeth that tear flesh from their prey. Despite their bad press, there is no record of any person being killed by piranhas and people readily swim in rivers where they live without getting bitten. The fish is 26 to 33 cm long. Rio Pipxuna, Amazonia, Brazil

© BIOS PHOTO/AUSCAPE All rights reserved

Elephant beetle (Megasoma elephas)

Elephant beetle (Megasoma elephas) fighting a Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules), on the right, both males. The Elephant beetle can reach 12 cm in length and the Hercules beetle occasionally 17 cm. The Hercules beetle is unusual in having a dense coat of fine hair on its elytra. Costa Rica

America, American, Central, Coleoptera, Cutout, Deep Etch, Deep Etchable, Dorsal View, Dynastinae, Exotic Pets, Female Hornless, Fighters, Fighting Beetles, Fights, Giant, Gigantic, Horned, Horns, Insect, Insects, Large, Pets, Rhinoceros Beetle, Scarabaeidae, South, Terrariums, Vivariums, White Background

Beefsteak mushroom (Fistulina hepatica)

Beefsteak mushroom (Fistulina hepatica), fungus growing on forest floor amongst moss and leaves. If cut it bleeds a dark red juice. France

© BIOSPHOTO/AUSCAPE All rights reserved

Agaricales, American, Australian, Bracket, British, Europeean, Fistulinaceae, Fungi, Hymenomycetidae, Nort, Polypore, Polyporous