Hercules beetle

This article is for the Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules). It is not to be confused with the eastern Hercules beetle (Dynastes tityus) or the western Hercules beetle (Dynastes grantii)

Hercules beetle
Male Hercules beetle, Dynastes hercules ecuatorianus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Genus: Dynastes
Species:
D. hercules
Binomial name
Dynastes hercules
Synonyms
  • Scarabaeus hercules Linnaeus, 1758, 1758
  • Scarabaeus scaber Linnaeus, 1758, 1764
  • Scarabaeus oculatus Scopoli, 1772
  • Scarabaeus alcides Fabricius, 1781
  • Scarabaeus iphiclus Panzer, 1782
  • Scarabaeus perseus Olivier, 1789
  • Dynastes alcides (Fabricius, 1781)
  • Dynastes lagaii Verrill, 1906
  • Dynastes vulcan Verrill, 1906
  • Dynastes argentata Verrill, 1907
  • Dynastes hercules niger Endrodi, 1947
  • Dynastes hercules caribaea Stehle & Stehle, 1958
  • Dynastes hercules baudrii Pinchon, 1976

The Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) is a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the rainforests of southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles. It is the longest extant species of beetle in the world, and is also one of the largest flying insects in the world.