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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles (Scarabaeoidea) » Scarab Beetles (Scarabaeidae) » Rhinoceros Beetles (Dynastinae)

Subfamily Dynastinae - Rhinoceros Beetles

Classification · Explanation of Names · Identification · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Rhinocerus Beetle - Xyloryctes jamaicensis - male

Dynastes tityus (Linnaeus) - Dynastes tityus - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles)

Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)

Subfamily Dynastinae (Rhinoceros Beetles)

Explanation of Names

Author of subfamily is MacLeay 1819, or, depending on the rules of nomenclature, Kirby 1825 (1). Named after the genus Dynastes.

Identification

Robust, often large scarabs, a few groups of spectacular size. Dorsal surface in most groups rounded and several groups have horns. Typical characters:

mandibles expanded, leaflike, usually visible from above, often notched or toothed

labrum hidden beneath clypeus

antennae with 9-10 segments, last three segments usually forming a small club

claws of middle and rear tarsi simple, usually similar in size

apex (end) of posterior (and/or middle?) tibia with two prominent spurs

--Key to Tribes of Dynastinae--

Tribe Cyclocephalini: both sexes unarmed, males typically with large front claws, either yellowish or black

Tribe Pentodontini: both sexes unarmed, pronotum often with distinct apical depression, hind tibia with apical edge truncate, black or brown

Tribe Oryctini: males armed, large, brown

Tribe Phileurini: distinctly flattened, generally black, head often with horns or tubercles

Tribe Dynastini: large, sexual dimorphism obvious

Print References

Harpootlian, subfamily characteristics p. 11, description and key to tribes pp. 104-105 (1)

White, Field Guide to the Beetles (2)

Dillon, key to scarab subfamilies, p. 506 (3)

Endrödi, S. 1985. The Dynastinae of the World. Series Entomologica, Volume 28, W. Junk, Dordrecht. 800 pp., 46 plates.

Ratcliffe & Cave (4)

Internet References

Ratcliffe (2001), Generic Guide to New World Scarab Beetles--description of subfamily Dynastinae

Works Cited

1.	Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of South Carolina Phillip J. Harpootlian. 2001. Clemson University Public Service.

2.	Peterson Field Guides: Beetles Richard E. White. 1983. Houghton Mifflin Company.

3.	A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence. 1961. Row, Peterson, and Company.

4.	The Dynastine Scarab Beetles of the USA and Canada (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) Brett C. Ratcliffe & Ronald D. Cave. 2017. University of Nebraska State Museum, Vol 30, 298 pp.

Contributed by Phillip Harpootlian on 7 March, 2005 - 3:52pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Stephen Cresswell, Aaron Schusteff
Last updated 5 February, 2018 - 9:07am

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