What does a goliath beetle look like? The goliath beetle is the heaviest in the world. Interesting facts about the African goliath.

Bronze beetles and goliath beetles are geographically distinct groups of insects belonging to the order Coleoptera. But from a systematic point of view, they are so close to each other that they form a number of transitional forms, and therefore will be described in one article. The family of bronzes includes 4,000 species; their closest relatives are the common May beetles.

Eastern goliath beetle (Goliathus orientalis).

Bronze beetles got their name for the specific metallic shine of their elytra, which makes them easy to distinguish from other beetles. Almost every resident middle zone ever met these insects. Their body is oval and wide, the antennae are short, the body length is different types varies from 8 to 27 mm. However, bronzebacks have a unique feature that distinguishes them from other Coleoptera. The fact is that during flight, all beetles raise their elytra and flap thin translucent wings hidden under them. The wing covers are never raised during flight, and the wings are protruded through special slits on the sides.

Golden bronze (Cetonia aurata).

The most famous representative of these beetles, the golden bronze beetle, has green elytra. In different subspecies they can shimmer yellow, reddish-brown (copper) and even blue. True, there are bronzes completely devoid beautiful outfit. Their elytra are black with white dots. People called these beetles deer beetles; over time, this name became established as a scientific name.

This magnificent subspecies of golden bronze (Cetonia aurata pisana) is found only in Italy.

The habitat of the bronzeback covers almost all of Eurasia with the exception of the tundra and desert zones. You can meet them in open spaces: meadows, forest edges, steppes, gardens. These insects are active only when sunny weather, at this time they slowly fly from branch to branch and stay on the flowers for a long time. Bronze birds eat soft plant food, that is, flower petals, as well as tender leaves and tree sap flowing from cracks in the bark.

Bronze beetles are peace-loving beetles; during feeding, they willingly tolerate each other's proximity and often form clusters on flowers.

Goliath beetles are very similar in body shape to bronze beetles, but they have pronounced sexual dimorphism. The males of these insects have a small horn, with which they butt their opponents; females are hornless. Just as bronze beetles were named for their most striking feature, so goliath beetles got their name in honor of their huge size(Goliath is a mythical giant). Thus, their body length is on average 7-11 cm, and in terms of weight they are world record holders. According to the most conservative estimates, their weight reaches 47 g, and some researchers report specimens weighing 80-100 g!

Common goliath beetle (Goliathus goliatus).

But the coloration of goliath beetles, on the contrary, is relatively modest. Their head and chest are most often striped, white and black, and the elytra are either spotted or brown. Between bronze beetles and goliath beetles, there are several intermediate genera that combine the features of both. For example, the eudicella beetle is similar in size to goliaths, but is colored in the lush green tones characteristic of bronze beetles.

Male Ethiopian eudicella (Eudicella aethiopica).

All species of goliath beetles live in the tropics. The highest species diversity is noted in Africa, and they can also often be found in Southeast Asia. Like bronze beetles, goliath beetles are herbivorous, but they are not easy to see. Usually most They spend time high in the treetops. But these beetles are very easy to hear. Giants, despite their size, fly well and during the flight they make a hum that matches their wings, that is, it is unusually loud.

Male (right) and female (left) Ugandan mecynorrhina ugandensis.

Reproduction in goliath beetles and bronze beetles proceeds similarly. After mating with males, females descend to the ground and burrow into soft soil, forest litter or rotten wood. Here they lay white round eggs one at a time, from which relatively large larvae hatch.

Even in small bronze beetles, the size of the larvae reaches 3-5 cm, and it is impossible for an unprepared person to look at the larvae of goliath beetles without shuddering.

The larvae of all bronze beetles and goliath beetles are of the same type: white, horseshoe-shaped. Luckily, these unsightly creatures spend their lives underground. Here they feed on humus, manure and tree roots, and large goliath larvae can eat their own smaller counterparts. The development of bronze beetles lasts a year, the larvae of goliath beetles spend at least 2-3 years underground. Their pupation occurs in the soil. The cocoon consists of pieces of wood and soil particles glued together with a sticky secretion. The hatched adults (adults) remain overwintering in the ground until spring.

Goliath beetles (Goliathus cacicus) from Equatorial Africa.

Despite the fact that these insects feed on plants at all stages of life, they do not harm agriculture they don't apply. In the spring, bronzebirds begin to fly relatively late, when pollination occurs. fruit trees has already happened. In addition, while feeding on flowers, beetles become dirty with pollen and pollinate. Due to their large size in nature, adults and larvae are desirable food for hoopoes, orioles, magpies, jackdaws, rooks, and hedgehogs. Goliath beetles, due to their size, are desirable exhibits in entomological collections.

Read about the animals mentioned in this article: hoopoes, orioles, magpies, hedgehogs.

Unusual name“Goliath” is given to these animals for a reason: they are truly considered heavyweights.

Individual goliath beetles (from the Latin “Goliathus”) pull 80-100 g, and this is the weight of as many as five sparrows! In addition to their weight, these beetles also boast heroic strength, so they are not so easy to hold in the palm of your hand.

Adults range in length from 80-110 mm (males) with an abdominal width of 50-60 mm and 50-80 mm (females) with an abdominal width of 40-50 mm.

Males and females differ not only in height and proportions. So, males have a Y-shaped horn located on the head, and females have a shield. With its help, they dig the ground in order to lay eggs.

The world has a significant effect on the appearance of goliath beetles. This is because they need a certain body temperature to be active. So it is not surprising that where it is humid and there is a lot of shade, you can find dark beetles with barely visible white stripes. Black color is known to attract more heat, which is beneficial for beetles in conditions where there is little space around. sunlight due to dense foliage.

But where there are few plants and there is plenty of light, goliaths sport pronounced white stripes - this prevents them from overheating. In addition, the dark parts of the body have a velvety surface.

Interesting fact: like other representatives of the group of bronze beetles, goliath beetles have specific recesses in the lateral surface of the elytra, from which they spread their lower wings. So during flight the elytra simply remain folded.

African equator and south-eastern part Africa is home to these tough insect repellents. These are Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Congo, as well as Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon. In the warm center of Africa, dark goliath beetles are found, whose color is associated with their ability to adapt. The south is inhabited by light-colored beetles. The color also allows us to distinguish six types of goliaths.

Goliath beetles feed on flower pollen and climb the tree crowns to get it. The flowers they seem to like best are Vernonia conferta. Goliaths spend a lot of time at the top, and somehow do not want to go down to the mortal earth, although there is also a lot of food for them there.

Lifespan of beetles natural environment just six months.

During the mating season, males begin to be extremely hostile towards each other. The female lays eggs in the ground after mating, and only for this purpose she descends from the tree. The entire period of development, the larvae are in the ground, where they feed on rotted leaves and humus, and also do not hesitate to eat their less strong or agile counterparts. Having reached a length of 15 cm and a weight of 110 g, they pupate directly in the ground, for this purpose they have built a specific cradle. All these processes take about a year.

To us, goliath beetles are most like

The giant Goliath beetle is the largest and heaviest insect on the planet, named after the mythical giant Goliath.

The royal goliath beetle belongs to the subfamily of the bronze beetle of the lamellar family of the order Coleoptera.

It is closely related to the cockchafer. The size of the goliath beetle ranges from 60 to 110 mm, width up to 60 mm.

Description

The female has a body length from 50 to 80 mm and a width from 40 to 50 mm.

The Goliath beetle weighs from 47 to 100 grams.

According to their range, there are five species of beetles, which vary in size and color. The African beetle lives in Central and South East Africa in the territories:

• Congo;
• Cameroon;
• Kenya;
• Tanzania;
• Gabon;
• Ghana;
• Nigeria and Uganda.

Some species of these giant beetles prefer high humidity tropical jungle. There are species of beetles living in the desert that are able to retain and retain moisture with their own wings. Other types of insects live underwater, holding air with their wings.

The beetle is painted with black and white stripes. And the elytra are spotted or red-brown in color. The predominance of color is determined by the habitat.

The beetle requires an increase in body temperature to fly. Due to humidity tropical forests insects are predominantly black.

The black parts of the body of the goliath beetle have a velvety surface. This helps warm up the body. In open areas, where there are few trees and a dry climate, white color with black stripes and spots, protecting against overheating.

Structure

Insects have pronounced sexual dimorphism. A distinctive feature of the male is its branched horns. The female has a shield-shaped head, adapted for digging. The female's fore tibia have teeth. There are slits on the anterior lateral edges of the elytra. Through them, the largest goliath releases its wings for flight without opening the elytra.

This is a feature of bronze, distinguishing feature representatives of the order Coleoptera. Goliaths have two pairs of wings.

The first pair protects the second pair of wings and the abdomen. The second pair of wings is used for flight. The beetle has a pair of sharp claws on each foot. This allows it to be firmly held on leaves and tree trunks.

The African goliath beetle leads an active lifestyle during daylight hours in the thickets of tropical forests, where it feeds on plant foods - tree sap, overripe fruits, and pollen.

After mating, the female moves to the ground, burrows into the ground and lays eggs. The eggs hatch into white, horseshoe-shaped larvae. Goliath beetle larvae feed on humus, plant roots, small larvae and invertebrates. By the end of formation, the larva grows up to 150 mm and weighs up to 110 grams.

Pupation of the larva occurs in a cocoon. The larva spins a cocoon from particles of wood and earth, gluing them together with a sticky secretion, which it secretes. During pupation, insect organs are formed. When the goliath beetle shrew pupa develops into an adult beetle and leaves the cocoon, the wings and elytra extend.

Abstract on the topic:

Plan:

Introduction

• 1 Description
• 2 Biology
• 3 Types
  • 3.1 Synonymous and other species names
  • 3.2 Speciation
• 4 Adaptation
  • 4.1 Adaptation options
• 5 Reproduction
• 7 Comments
Notes
Literature

Introduction

Goliath beetles(lat. Goliathus) - a genus of large and very large beetles from the Bronzovka subfamily within the family Lamellaridae.

Representatives of the genus are considered one of the heaviest beetles in the world - individual males of a number of species during life can weigh up to 47 grams, according to some data, and up to 80-100 grams according to others [K 1].

1. Description

Goliathus orientalis with wings spread

Body length of males is 80 - 110 mm ( Goliathus regius up to 116 mm), females - 50-80 mm. Males can weigh up to 47 grams during life and are probably the heaviest beetles in the world. The color varies among different species: mostly black, with a white pattern on the elytra. The black areas have a velvety texture. Chest shield without notch. Only females have front tibiae with teeth. Males have a Y-shaped process similar to horns on their heads. The female has no outgrowths, her head is in the shape of a shield, which facilitates digging in the ground for laying eggs. Goliaths, like other representatives of the Bronzovka group ( Cetoniinae) differ from other beetles in that their elytra have a notch on the anterior lateral edge through which the wings extend during flight, while the elytra remain folded.

2. Biology

During the daytime, beetles fly actively and spend most of their time in the crowns of trees. They rarely descend to the ground. They feed on flowing tree sap and overripe fruits. The lifespan of an imago is about 6 months.

3. Types

One of the rare forms of coloring - Goliathus goliathus quadrimaculatus. Length 77 mm. Cameroon.

There are 5 types:

• Goliathus albosignatus(Drury, 1770) - Length of males: up to 60 mm. Habitat - Southeast Africa
• Goliathus cacicus(Boheman, 1857) - Length of males: up to 93 mm Habitat - Equatorial Africa.
• Goliathus goliatus(Klug, 1835) - Length of males: up to 100 mm Habitat - Equatorial Africa
• Goliathus orientalis(Voet, 1779) - Length of males: up to 95 mm, females up to 70 mm Habitat - Southeast Africa
• Goliathus regius(Moser, 1909) - Length of males: up to 116 mm Habitat - Equatorial Africa

3.1. Synonymous and other species names

• Goliathus atlas hybrid between Goliathus cacicus and Goliathus regius
• Goliathus meleagris synonym for one of the forms Goliathus goliatus
• Goliathus kirkianus- subspecies Goliathus albosignatus

3.2. Speciation

There is a theory according to which goliath species Goliathus regius, Goliathus cacicus, Goliathus goliatus had a common ancestor, the individual groups of which were geographically isolated from each other by the Cameroon mountain range. In this way, isolated gene pools arose, and because of genetic isolation, new species arose from each gene pool.

4. Adaptation

In many insects, including goliaths, the onset of the active period requires an immediate rise in body temperature to the point at which flight is possible. Populations of goliaths of the dark phenotype without hypodermal pigmentation predominantly predominate in dense forests. Perhaps, due to its dark pigmentation, the nominative form is not tolerant of greater exposure to sunlight, or exposure to high temperatures, in this case, the supposed habitat in shady areas should be taken into account. On the contrary, black pigmentation may be selectively favorable for a rapid increase in body temperature in cool environments. In areas with sparse vegetation, white shiny hypodermal pigmentation, on the contrary, helps to avoid overheating.

The degree of white coloration of the hypodermis on the elytra and thorax is realized outside the influence of the insect itself. The color of the hypodermis is not affected by what the insect consumes nutrients. Special influence Humidity levels affect coloring environment.

4.1. Adaptation options

Dark color variations predominate in Central and equatorial Africa, while light color variations are common in southern and western equatorial Africa. Color Variation Goliathus goliatus may be the result of changes in a number of abiogenic factors (degree of insolation, humidity, etc.).

5. Reproduction

After mating, the female burrows into the ground, where she lays eggs in small natural cavities. The larvae feed on rotted leaves and humus; they are also characterized by cannibalism - older larvae can eat younger ones. By the end of their development, the larvae reach a length of 150 mm and weigh 100-110 grams. Pupation occurs in the ground, in a cradle.

Let's start with a photo of the larva of this
beautiful beetle.

The world around us is wonderful and unique. Every day new species of living beings are discovered. Man is just one of many, many species. And his ideas about nature are often very incomplete.
So most people perceive insects as something small and invisible. But among them there are many record holders in different disciplines. One of them is the heaviest insect in the world - the goliath beetle (Goliathus regius).

It was given its name primarily for its size. Adult males can reach a length of 11 cm and a width of up to 6 cm. Females are somewhat smaller - only 5-8 cm long. The goliath beetle weighs up to 50g, and is unusually strong.

The goliath beetle is common in tropical Africa, in Upper Guinea. The goliath beetle's closest relatives in the Scarabaeidae family are the familiar May beetles.

The coloring of goliath beetles varies, most often dark with a light pattern on the elytra. The male's nose is decorated with a process resembling a horn. The female does not have horns, her head resembles a shield in shape and is intended for digging the ground, for building a nest for laying.

And the larvae of goliath beetles are also very small; by the end of the stage they reach 15 cm in length and weigh up to 110 grams. The larvae feed on humus, but can also eat smaller individuals. Adult goliaths prefer foliage on the tops of palm trees, tree sap and overripe fruits of fruit trees.

European scientists and collectors became acquainted with the goliath beetle at the end of the 18th century. It was valued no less then and now; every collector dreams of having the largest beetle in his collection.