Hercules beetle

Appearance

It is the largest of the six species in the ''Dynastes'' genus, and one of the largest beetles known, up to 17 cm in length it is only exceeded by two other beetles in the family Cerambycidae, ''Macrodontia cervicornis'' and ''Titanus giganteus'' . However, if the horns are excluded, both ''M. cervicornis'' and ''D. hercules'' drop considerably farther down in the size rankings, leaving ''T. giganteus'' on top. One reason for this is that the development of the horns is allometric, as well as sexually dimorphic, and thus not strictly correlated to actual body size; it is possible for a female to be much longer, measured from eyes to abdomen, than a male, yet be considered "smaller" simply due to the absence of horns.

As noted above, Hercules beetles are highly sexually dimorphic, with the females generally being larger-bodied but much shorter, as they lack horns entirely. The larval stage of the Hercules beetle will last one to two years, with the larva growing up to 4.5 inches in length and weighing more than 100 grams. Much of the life of the larva is spent tunneling through its primary food source of rotting wood. After the larval period, transformation into a pupa, and moulting, the beetle then emerges as an adult. Adults will roam the forest floor in search of decaying fruit.

Naming

* ''Dynastes hercules baudrii'' Pinchon, 1976
⤷ *Origin: Martinique
⤷ *Male size: 50–100 mm; female: 45–55 mm
⤷  ''Dynastes hercules bleuzeni'' Silvestre and Dechambre, 1995
⤷ *Origin: Venezuela
⤷ *Male size: 55–155 mm; female: 45–75 mm
⤷  ''Dynastes hercules ecuatorianus'' Ohaus, 1913
⤷ *Origin: Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil
⤷ *Male size: 55–165 mm; female: 50–80 mm
⤷  ''Dynastes hercules hercules'' .
⤷ *Origin: Guadeloupe, Dominica
⤷ *Male size: 45–178 ; female: 50–80 mm
⤷  ''Dynastes hercules septentrionalis''
⤷ *Origin: Extreme Southern Mexico, Central America
⤷ *Male size: 50–150 mm; female: 40–80 mm
⤷  ''Dynastes hercules tuxtlaensis'' Moron, 1993
⤷ *Origin: Mexico
⤷ *Male size: 70–110 mm; female: 45–60 mm
⤷  ''Dynastes hercules occidentals''