Goliathus goliatus
| Goliathus goliatus | |
|---|---|
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| Goliathus goliatus, flying position | |
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| Dorsal view of Goliathus goliatus at the Montreal Insectarium | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Subfamily: | Cetoniinae |
| Genus: | Goliathus |
| Species: | G. goliatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Goliathus goliatus (Drury, 1770) | |
Goliathus goliatus is a species of beetles belonging to the Scarabaeidae family.
Systematic
Synonyms
- Goliathus adspersus Sjostedt, 1927
- Goliathus africanus Lamarck, 1801
- Goliathus albatus Kraatz, 1897
- Goliathus albipennis Endrodi, 1960
- Goliathus albovariegatus Sjostedt, 1927
- Goliathus apicalis Kraatz, 1895
- Goliathus confluens Kraatz, 1897
- Goliathus conjunctivittis Kraatz, 1898
- Goliathus connectens Csiki, 1904
- Goliathus curtivittis Kraatz, 1898
- Goliathus giganteus Lamarck, 1817
Subspecies
- Goliathus goliatus var. conspersus Kraatz, 1895
(Biolib)
Description
Goliathus goliatus is one of the largest species in the genus Goliathus, males having a body length of about 50–110 millimetres (2.0–4.3 in) and females having a body length of about 50–80 millimetres (2.0–3.1 in). The pronotum (thoracic shield) is mainly black, with whitish longitudinal stripes, while elytra are usually dark brown. This pattern may differ greatly in some subspecies and forms.
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.
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Goliathus goliatus male, at the Montreal Insectarium
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Goliathus goliatus male, dorsal side
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Goliathus goliatus male, ventral side
Distribution
This species is widespread from western to eastern equatorial Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda).
Habitat
Goliathus goliatus is mainly present in the equatorial forests and in the sub-equatorial savannah.
References
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Wikispecies has information related to: Goliathus goliatus |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Goliathus goliatus. |