The third larval instar of Goliathus goliatus (Drury, 1770), Goliathus orientalis Moser, 1909 and Goliathus albosignatus Boheman, 1857 are described and illustrated for the first time and compared with the immature stages of other Cetoniinae. Larval development of Goliathus goliatus is investigated under laboratory conditions, with particular emphasis on food requirements. These results support the obligatory requirement of proteins in the larval diet. The association between larval morphological traits (e. g., the shape of the mandibles and pretarsus, presence of well-developed stemmata) and larval biology is discussed. Based on observations and the data from captive breeds it is concluded that a possible shift from pure saprophagy to an obligatory predaceous way of larval life occurred within the larvae of this genus, which may explain why these beetles achieve such an enormous size.

Department of Zoology Faculty of Science Charles University Viničná 7 CZ 128 44 Praha 2 Czech Republic

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Böving AG. (1936) Description of the larva of Plectris aliena Chapin and explanation of new terms applied to the epipharynx and raster. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 38: 169–185.

Christiansen P. (2013) Larval growth rates and sexual differences of resource allocation in the cetoniine scarab Mecynorhina polyphemus Fabricius 1781 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Goliathini). Journal of Natural History 47: 1287–1307. doi: 10.1080/00222933.2012.763061 DOI

Donaldson MIJ. (1987) Descriptions of, and a key to larvae of some South African Cetoniinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 123: 1–13.

Glaser JD. (1976) The biology of Dynastes tityus (Linn.) in Maryland (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Coleopterists Bulletin 30: 133–138.

Hayes WP. (1929) Morphology, taxonomy and biology of larval Scarabaeoidea. Illinois Biological Monographs 12: 88–200.

Holm E, Marias E. (1992) The fruit chafers of Southern Africa. Ekogilde cc, Hartebeespoort, 326 pp.

Klátil L, Vrána T. (2008) Chov Zlatohlávků a Nosorožíků [Breeding of Flower and Rhinoceros beetles in captivity]. Robimaus – sdružení Magdaléna a Robert Javorských, Rudná u Prahy, 163 pp [In Czech]

Krajčík M. (1998) Cetoniidae of the world. Catalogue – Part I. Typos Studio Most, Most, Czech Republic.

Lachaume G. (1983) Les Coleopteres du Monde 3, Goliathini 1. Sciences Nat. , Compiegne, France, 67 pp.

Malec P. (undated) Goliathina genera. http://www.flower-beetles.com/hegemus.html [accessed 13 January 2016]

Marais E, Holm E. (1992) Type catalogue and bibliography of the Cetoniinae of sub-Saharan Africa (excluding Trichiini and Valgini) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Cimbebasia Memoir 8: 1–125.

Mawdsley JR. (2013) Taxonomy of the Goliath beetle Goliathus orientalis Moser, 1909 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae). Journal of Natural History 47: 1451–1461. doi: 10.1080/00222933.2012.763052 DOI

McMonigle O. (2001) Flower Beetles. In: Lai JT. (Ed.) For the Love of Rhinoceros and Stag Beetles, first edition Morning Star Group, Taiwan, 278–291.

McMonigle O. (2006) The complete guide to rearing flower and jewel scarabs. Elytra and Antenna, Brunswick Hill; s, Ohio, 44 pp.

McMoningle O. (2012) The Ultimate Guide to Breeding Beetles: Coleoptera Laboratory Culture Methods. Coachwhip Publications, Darke County, Ohio, 208 pp.

Meier K. (2003) Breeding the Goliath Beetle. Invertebrates-Magazine 2: 4–9.

Meier K, Campbell C. (undated) The breeding/rearing of Goliathus. http://www.naturalworlds.org/goliathus/manual/Goliathus_breeding_1.htm [accessed 13 January 2016]

Micó E, Morón MA, Šípek P, Galante E. (2008) Larval morphology enhances phylogenetic reconstruction in Cetoniidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) and allows the interpretation of the evolution of larval feeding habits. Systematic Entomology 33: 128–144.

Morón MA, Deloya C. (2001) Observaciones sobre el ciclo de vida de Megasoma elephas elephas (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Dynastinae). Folia Entomológica Mexicana 40: 233–244.

Nogueira G, Morón MA, Fierros-López HE, Navarette-Heredia JL. (2004) The immature stages of Neoscelis dohrni (Westwood) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Goliathini) with notes on the adult behavior. The Coleopterists Bulletin 58: 171–183. doi: 10.1649/604 DOI

Oberholzer JJ. (1959) A morphological study of some South African lamellicorn larvae. I–Descriptions of the third instar larvae. South African Journal of Agricultural Science 2: 41–74.

Perissinotto R, Smith TJ, Stobbia P. (1999) Description of adult and larva of Ichnestoma pringlei n. sp. (Coleoptera Scarabaeidae Cetoniinae), with notes on its biology and ecology. Tropical Zoology 12: 219–229. doi: 10.1080/03946975.1999.10539390 DOI

Ritcher PO. (1966) White Grubs and their Allies. A study of North American Scarabaeoid Larvae. Oregon State Monographs. Studies in Entomology 4. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, 219 pp.

Sakai K, Nagai S. (1998) The Cetoniinae Beetles of the World. Muschi-Sha’s Iconographic Series of Insects 3. Mushi-Sha, Tokyo, 422 pp.

Sawada H. (1991) Morphological and Phylogenetical Study on the Larvae of Pleurostict Lamellicornia in Japan. Tokyo University of Agriculture Press, Tokyo, 132 pp.

Šípek P, Král D, Jahn O. (2008) Description of the larvae of Dicronocephalus wallichi bourgoini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) with observations on nesting behavior and life cycle of two Dicronocephalus species under laboratory conditions. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 44: 409–417. doi: 10.1080/00379271.2008.10697577 DOI

StatSoft Inc (2001) STATISTICA, version 6.0. http://www.statsoft.com

Vendl T, Vondráček D, Kubáň V, Šípek P. (2014) Immature stages of Taenioderini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoninae): a report of hidden diversity. Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54: 571–604.

Wiebes JT. (1968) Catalogue of the Coleoptera Cetoniinae in the Leiden Museum. 1. Goliathus Lamarck, sensu lato. Zoologische Mededelingen 43: 19–40 + 2 plates.

Wong J. (2008) Journal of a Goliathus breeder. http://insect-collection.com/invertebrate-caresheet/journal-of-a-goliathus-breeder/ [accessed 26 January 2016]

Zadrobílková E, Smejkalová P, Walker G, Čepička I. (2016) Morphological and molecular diversity of the neglected genus Rhizomastix Alexeieff, 1911 (Amoebozoa: Archamoebae) with description of five new species. The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 63: 181–197 doi: 10.1111/jeu.12266 PubMed DOI

Zhang ZL. (1984) Coleoptera: Larvae of Scarabaeoidea. Economic Insect Fauna of China 28 Science Press, Beijing, 107 pp. + XXI plates.

Thermal Melanism in Pachnoda iskuulka (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae)

Hidden complexity in the ontogeny of sexual size dimorphism in male-larger beetles