Hercules Beetle vs Reunion Day Gecko Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Hercules Beetle Reunion Day Gecko Beetle
Scientific Name Dynastes hercules Cratopus murinus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Dynastidae Curculionidae
Size 50-85 mm (up to 170 mm with horn) 8-12 mm
Habitat Forests Farmland
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions Central America, South America Reunion Island
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Hercules Beetle

One of the largest beetles in the world. Males sport enormous horns used in combat for mates. The elytra can change color from green-yellow to black depending on humidity.

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Did You Know?

The Hercules beetle can carry up to 850 times its own body weight, making it one of the strongest animals on Earth relative to its size.

Reunion Day Gecko Beetle

A drab brownish weevil endemic to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. It is a common herbivore found on both native and cultivated plants.

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Did You Know?

It occasionally damages fruit crops on Reunion, where it is locally considered a pest.