Strategus Kirby 1828

Alvarez, Héctor Jaime Gasca, da, Claudio Ruy Vasconcelos, Fonseca & Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2008, Synopsis of the Oryctini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) from the Brazilian Amazon, Insecta Mundi 2008 (61), pp. 1-62 : 42-43

Strategus Kirby 1828

Strategus Kirby 1828: 349

Strategodes Casey 1915: 245 (synonym, described as subgenus)

Anastrategus Casey 1915: 231 (synonym)

Strategopsis Chapin 1932: 302 (synonym, described as subgenus)

Type species: Scarabaeus aloeus Linnaeus, 1758 .

Species of Strategus may be distinguished by mandibles exposed with apex bidentate and with a prominent basal lobe; pronotum foveate and at least tuberculate subapicaly, protibia quadridentate, and apex of metatibia with three teeth. Adults are nocturnal and attracted to lights. The larvae live in rotting tree trunks and possibly in rich organic debris in the soil. Adults have been observed feeding on the roots of several species of palms ( Ratcliffe 2003). The genus contains 37 species ( Morón and Nogueira 2008) distributed from southern United States, through Central America, to southern Argentina, including the Greater and Lesser Antilles. There is one possible fossil species. Five species are registered in Brazil, of which four occurs in Brazilian Amazonia.