Goliathus goliatus is a very large species of beetle of the family Scarabaeidae, native to tropical Africa.

The pronotum (thoracic shield) is mainly black, with whitish longitudinal stripes, while the elytra are mostly dark brown in the typical form.

The color of the elytra may differ greatly in some other forms, with varying amounts and patterns of brown, white and black.

[2] This species possess a large and membranous secondary pair of wings actually used for flying.

On January 1, 1959, a species from Gabon, believed to be the first such beetle seen alive in the United States, went on display at the American Museum of Natural History.