Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles)
Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
Subfamily Dynastinae (Rhinoceros Beetles)
Tribe Dynastini
Genus Dynastes (Hercules Beetles)
Other Common Names
Unicorn Beetles
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Theogenes Burmeister, 1847
Explanation of Names
Author of genus is MacLeay, 1819 [not Kirby, 1825 as is often cited]
Dynastes is Latin, originally from Greek dunastes (δυναστης), lord or ruler (1).
Numbers
There are two species in temperate North America: D tityus (Eastern Hercules Beetle), and D. granti (Southwestern Hercules Beetle)--Nearctica.com and Arnett (2).
Size
40-140 mm (latter including tropical members of genus)
Identification
Huge, robust beetles. Males with prominent horns.
Range
New world tropics, into temperate North America.
Habitat
Forests
Life Cycle
Larvae bore in rotting wood. Adults of Dynastes are nocturnal and are attracted to lights.
West Indian Dynastinae discusses D. hercules, the largest in the genus, length up to 140 mm. It is found in parts of the West Indes and Central America.
