The
Hercules beetle (
Dynastes hercules) is the most famous and the largest of the
rhinoceros beetles. It is native to the
rainforests of
Central America,
South America, and the
Lesser Antilles. The beetle has also been observed as far north as Southern
Veracruz in
Mexico. It is the largest of the six species in the
Dynastes genus, and one of the largest beetles known, up to in length it is only exceeded by two other beetles in the family
Cerambycidae,
Macrodontia cervicornis (specimens of 17–17.5 cm are known) and
Titanus giganteus (also up to 17–17.5 cm; several 18+ cm specimens are reputed/alleged to exist). However, if the horns are excluded, both
M. cervicornis and
D. hercules drop considerably farther down in the size rankings, leaving
T. giganteus on top. One reason for this is that the development of the horns is
allometric, as well as
sexually dimorphic, and thus not strictly correlated to actual body size; it is possible for a female to be much longer, measured from eyes to abdomen, than a male, yet be considered "smaller" simply due to the absence of horns.