Talk:Goliathus

Too heavy
You should read this article from UF Book of Insect Records, indicating a possible maximum weight of 45 g (1.59 oz) for Goliathus (G. regius seems to be the largest of the genus). According to Guinness, the Goliath Beetle is the heaviest insect with a maximum weight of 100 g (3.53 oz); however, as the UF article suggests, an individual weighing 35 grams (1.23 oz) has likely been mislabeled as 3.5 ounces.

Furthermore, as the article suggests, the staus of Goliathus as the largest (heaviest) insect is questionable. Based on the article, I'd say Megasoma actaeon has the best claim for the title (est. max. weight 47 g/1.66 oz, max. length 135 mm/5.31 in); though there seems to bee a chance that further research may reveal Titanus giganteus to be even heavier (I've seen weights of 37.5 g/1.32 oz and 45 g/1.59 oz for this species; maximum length 167 mm/6.57 in). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.221.220.31 (talk • contribs) 21:38, 19 April 2006


 * More research and reference is needed before changing the stats. -- S iva1979 Talk to me  21:46, 19 April 2006 (UTC)

Defensive Mechanism
I remember, when I was younger and keen on insects, reading a book that involved a small section on the goliath beetle. Besides basic measurements and identifications, it also went into brief detail about a defensive mechanism where the goliath beetle 'clamps' itself onto a creature's arm or leg, and is very difficult to remove, and almost impossible without help. I know I've probably still got this book around, so while once I find it I'll put the information here and possibly edit the article with the text as a citation. Xander T. 16:54, 9 November 2007 (UTC)

Larval Stage Picture
If the larval stage is the heaviest known insect, shouldn't there be a picture?


 * Well, since this statement is not supported by any definitive comparisons to other species of insects, it could be argued that an encyclopedia shouldn't be reinforcing anecdotal claims in such a fashion. I would say we need to see a published study with authoritative figures for the weights of a large variety of "giant" insects before Wikipedia should start treating any of these specific claims as noteworthy. Until then, this is exactly why articles like this say things like "among the world's largest" and "among the world's heaviest". We know who the contenders are, in general, but have no clear and objective way to rank the various claims. Dyanega (talk) 18:04, 12 May 2020 (UTC)