Goliathus goliatus

Goliathus goliatus is a very large species of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, native to tropical Africa.

Description

Goliathus goliatus is one of the largest species in the genus Goliathus and one of the largest insects in general, males having a body length of and females having a body length of. The pronotum is mainly black, with whitish longitudinal stripes, while the elytra are mostly dark brown in the typical form. The color of the elytra may differ greatly in some other forms, with varying amounts and patterns of brown, white and black. The elytra are mostly white in the "quadrimaculatus" form, which occur together with the more common brown typical form in Benin, eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon.
This species possess a large and membranous secondary pair of wings actually used for flying. When not in use, they are kept completely folded beneath the elytra. The head is whitish, with a black Y-shaped horn in males, used as a pry bar in battles with other males over feeding sites or mates. These beetles feed primarily on tree sap and fruits.

Distribution

This species is widespread from western to eastern equatorial Africa.

Habitat

Goliathus goliatus is mainly present in the equatorial forests and in the sub-equatorial savannah.

Exhibited in 1959 at New York City museum

On January 1, 1959, a species from Gabon, believed to be the first such beetle seen alive in the United States, went on display at the American Museum of Natural History.