Is a species of scarab beetle characterized by an extraordinary sexual dimorphism that makes males and females look like different species. Adult males are robust, measuring between 2 and 3 centimeters in length, and feature a dark blackish-brown coloration. Their most prominent feature is a large, backward-curving pronotal horn paired with a smaller head horn, giving them a rhinoceros-like appearance. Females, on the other hand, are smaller, greyish-brown in color, completely lack horns, and possess specialized fossorial front legs designed for digging. The larvae, commonly known as white grubs, are C-shaped, with a soft creamy-white body, three pairs of thoracic legs, and a heavily sclerotized, reddish-brown head capsule.

Geographical distribution: This insect is widely distributed across the southern cone of South America, being highly abundant in Argentina (especially throughout the Pampean and Chaco regions), the southern plains of Uruguay, the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and southern regions of Paraguay.

Habitat: Prefers temperate grasslands, natural prairies, pastures, and agricultural fields. It has adapted remarkably well to no-till farming areas, where the soil structure remains undisturbed. It requires soils with high organic matter content and a dense ground cover of herbaceous plants to prevent the desiccation of its eggs and young larvae.

Feeding: Exhibits distinct feeding habits depending on its developmental stage. Adults have non-functional or highly reduced mouthparts and feed sparingly, occasionally consuming plant sap or rotting fruits. In contrast, the larval stage is highly herbivorous and detritivorous; they feed underground on decaying organic matter, humus, and the roots of grasses and major crops such as wheat, barley, corn, and sunflowers, occasionally acting as a major agricultural pest.

Behavior: Displays primarily crepuscular and nocturnal activity during the adult stage, when beetles emerge to fly and are easily attracted to artificial light sources. Males use their massive horns in intraspecific combat, pushing and lifting rivals to win access to females or nesting sites. The larvae are strictly subterranean and construct vertical burrows up to 30 centimeters deep, playing an ecological role in soil aeration and nutrient cycling despite their potential to damage crops.

Reproduction: Follows an annual life cycle with complete metamorphosis (holometabolous). Mating occurs during the warm summer months, after which the female digs into the soil to deposit between 20 and 40 white eggs individually inside small earthen chambers. The larvae hatch in late summer and spend the autumn and winter feeding underground through three distinct instar stages. In late spring, they construct a smooth pupal chamber in the soil, transforming into pupae and finally emerging as adults between December and January.

Conservation status: Has not been evaluated globally by the IUCN Red List. Regionally, it is not considered threatened due to its high abundance and adaptation to agricultural landscapes. In fact, it is often managed as an agricultural pest in direct-sown crops, meaning its populations are stable and even favored by modern conservation tillage practices.