The beetles reach a body length of 12 to 16 millimeters and have a very shiny, black body, sometimes with turquoise sheen. Despite being in the family Lucanidae (stag beetles), they look rather like true rhinoceros beetles, which are well known for their rhinoceros-like horn. The body is cylindrical and the elytra and thorax have distinct rows of pits and grooves. The males have a well-developed horn on their heads, which is significantly smaller in the females. In addition, the cavities on the pronotum in the female are much shallower than the distinct cavities in the male. The larvae are white and soft with brown heads.
With the exception of southwestern Spain and Portugal and northern Scandinavia, the species occurs throughout the European continent and the British Isles to western Siberia. The beetle prefers primary deciduous forests at cooler and higher altitudes, but can also be found in old willow stands, avenue and street trees, parkland, hedgerows, and fruit trees.
Kūnas 12 - 16 mm ilgio, cilindro formos, blizgus juodas. Antsparniai su išliginėm vagutėm. Patinėliai ant galvos turi ragą, kuris pas pateles daug mažesnis ir bukas. Aptinkamas Europoje nuo Ispanijos iki Vakarų Sibiro. Lietuvoje gyvena lapuočių ir mišriuose miškuose.
