%0 Journal Article %T Star Formation in Herschel's Monsters versus Semi-Analytic Models %A C. Gruppioni %A F. Calura %A F. Pozzi %A I. Delvecchio %A S. Berta %A G. De Lucia %A F. Fontanot %A A. Franceschini %A L. Marchetti %A N. Menci %A P. Monaco %A M. Vaccari %J Physics %D 2015 %I arXiv %X We present a direct comparison between the observed star formation rate functions (SFRF) and the state-of-the-art predictions of semi-analytic models (SAM) of galaxy formation and evolution. We use the PACS Evolutionary Probe Survey (PEP) and Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES) data-sets in the COSMOS and GOODS-South fields, combined with broad-band photometry from UV to sub-mm, to obtain total (IR+UV) instantaneous star formation rates (SFRs) for individual Herschel galaxies up to z~4, subtracted of possible active galactic nucleus (AGN) contamination. The comparison with model predictions shows that SAMs broadly reproduce the observed SFRFs up to z~2, when the observational errors on the SFR are taken into account. However, all the models seem to under-predict the bright-end of the SFRF at z>2. The cause of this underprediction could lie in an improper modelling of several model ingredients, like too strong (AGN or stellar) feedback in the brighter objects or too low fall-back of gas, caused by weak feedback and outflows at earlier epochs. %U http://arxiv.org/abs/1506.01518v1