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The animal on the cover of Essential Cybersecurity Science is a Japanese rhinoceros beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma), also known as kabutomushi in Japanese—mushi for bug and kabuto for helmet (referring to a samurai helmet in this case).

The Japanese rhino beetle is distinct in its sexual dimorphism: males are much larger at 40–80 mm, whereas females reach about 40–60 mm. Males have a small thoracic horn and a longer cephalic horn with a characteristic Y shape, which they use during mating rituals and to maintain territory by lifting other males off the ground and tossing them into the air. This nocturnal species has white or red eyes that are adapted to low light levels. Both males and females have dark brown bodies with black ventral parts, and unusually long front legs. This species can be found in broad-leaved forests in tropical or subtropical mountainous environments in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and eastern China. It feeds on tree sap, fruits, and generally sugary foods.

A Japanese rhino beetle spends most of its life underground, with only about four months spent as an actual beetle. It emerges from the ground in late spring, and usually dies in early fall after mating and laying eggs. Eggs are laid directly in the ground; once hatched into larva, offspring mature within a year. Males die after mating many times; female beetles usually die after laying eggs.

In Japan, many children buy or catch Japanese rhino beetles and breed them; these insects sell for about 500–1,000 yen (about $5–10). They are also very popular in gambling; in a popular game, two male beetles are placed on a log, where they battle, trying to push the other off the log. The sole beetle remaining on the log is the winner. Gambling over this game is a major source and loss of money, particularly in the Ryukyu Islands.

Many of the animals on O’Reilly covers are endangered; all of them are important to the world. To learn more about how you can help, go to animals.oreilly.com.

The cover image is from Insects Abroad. The cover fonts are URW Typewriter and Guardian Sans. The text font is Adobe Minion Pro; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; and the code font is Dalton Maag’s Ubuntu Mono.