Stag beetle
2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Insects, Reptiles and Fish
Stag beetles | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Male Lucanus cervus
|
||||||||||||||||
Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Subfamilies | ||||||||||||||||
Aesalinae |
Stag beetles are a group of about 1,200 species of beetle in the family Lucanidae, presently classified in four subfamilies Some species grow to 8 cm (3¼ in), but most are about 5 cm (2 in).
The English name is derived from the large and distinctive mandibles found on the males of most species, which resemble the antlers of stags.
A well-known species in much of Europe is Lucanus cervus, referred to in Britain as "the" stag beetle (it is the largest British terrestrial insect). Pliny the Elder noted that Nigidius called the stag beetle lucanus after the Italian region of Lucania where they were used as amulets. The scientific name of Lucanus cervus is this word, plus cervus, deer.
Male stag beetles use their jaws to wrestle each other for favoured mating sites, but despite their often fearsome appearance they are not normally aggressive to humans. Stag beetles are sometimes used in the Chinese sport of insect fighting.
Female stag beetles are usually smaller than the males, with smaller mandibles.
The larvae feed for several years on rotting wood, growing into grubs which in larger species may be as big as a human finger.
Partial List of Species
(classification follows Smith, 2006)
Subfamily Aesalinae
- Tribe Aesalini
- Genus Aesalus ( Fabricius, 1801)
-
- Aesalus asiaticus Lewis, 1883
- Aesalus himalayicus Kurosawa, 1985
- Aesalus imanishii Inahara & Ratti, 1991
- Aesalus meridionalis Bartolozzi, 1989
- Aesalus neotropicalis Bates, 1886
- Aesalus saburoi
- Aesalus sawaii Fujita & Ichikawa, 1985
- Aesalus scarabaeoides Panzer, 1793
- Aesalus sichuanensis
- Aesalus smithi Bates, 1889
- Aesalus trogoides Albers, 1883
- Aesalus ulanowskii Ganglbauer, 1886
- Genus Cretaesalus (fossil)
- Genus Echinoaesalus Zelenka, 1993
-
- Echinoaesalus barriesi (Zelenka, 1993)
- Echinoaesalus hidakai (Araya, 1993)
- Echinoaesalus jaechi (Zelenka,1993)
- Echinoaesalus matsuii (Araya, 1993)
- Echinoaesalus sabahensis (Zelenka, 1994)
- Echinoaesalus schuhi (Zelenka, 1994)
- Echinoaesalus timidus (Krikken, 1975)
- Echinoaesalus yongi (Araya, 1993)
- Genus Lucanobium Howden & Lawrence, 1974
-
- Lucanobium squamosum Howden & Lawrence, 1974
-
- Tribe Ceratognathini
- Genus Ceratognathus Westwood, 1838
-
- Ceratognathus abdominalis Parry, 1870
- Ceratognathus bitumulatus Carter, 1925
- Ceratognathus flabellatus Boileau, 1905
- Ceratognathus frenchi Blackburn, 1897
- Ceratognathus froggatti Blackburn, 1894
- Ceratognathus gilesi Blackburn, 1895
- Ceratognathus macrognathus Boileau, 1905
- Ceratognathus mentiferus Westwood, 1863
- Ceratognathus minutus Lea, 1929
- Ceratognathus niger Westwood, 1838
- Ceratognathus ocularis Carter, 1925
- Ceratognathus rufipennis Westwood, 1872
- Ceratognathus tasmanus Benesh, 1943
- Ceratognathus westwoodi Thomson, 1862
- Genus Hilophyllus Paulsen & Mondaca, 2006
-
- Hilophyllus argentinensis (Martinez, 1981)
- Hilophyllus martinezi Paulsen & Mondaca, 2006
- Hilophyllus penai (Martinez, 1976)
- Genus Mitophyllus Parry, 1843
-
- Mitophyllus alboguttatus (Bates, 1867)
- Mitophyllus dispar (Sharp, 1882)
- Mitophyllus foveolatus (Broun, 1880)
- Mitophyllus gibbosus (Broun, 1884)
- Mitophyllus insignis Broun, 1921
- Mitophyllus irroratus Parry, 1842
- Mitophyllus macrocerus (Broun, 1886)
- Mitophyllus parrianus Westwood, 1863
- Mitophyllus reflexus Broun, 1908
-
- Tribe Nicagini
- Genus Nicagus LeConte, 1861
-
- Nicagus obscurus (LeConte, 1848)
- Nicagus occultus Paulsen & Smith, 2005
- Nicagus japonicus Nagel, 1928
- Genus Holloceratognathus Nikolajev, 1998
-
- Holloceratognathus cylindricus (Broun, 1895)
- Holloceratognathus helotoides (Thomson, 1862)
- Holloceratognathus passaliformis (Holloway, 1962)
-
- Genus Aesalus ( Fabricius, 1801)
Subfamily Lampriminae
-
- Genus Dendroblax White, 1846
-
- Dendroblax earlianus White, 1846
- Genus Homolamprima
-
- Homolamprima crenulata (MacLeay, 1885)
- Genus Lamprima
-
- Lamprima adolphinae (Gestro, 1875)
- Lamprima aurata
- Genus Phalacrognathus
-
- Phalacrognathus muelleri MacLeay, 1885
- Genus Streptocerus Dejean, 1833
-
- Streptocerus speciosus Fairmaire, 1850
-
- Genus Dendroblax White, 1846
Subfamily Lucaninae Latreille, 1804
- Tribe Aegini
- Genus Aegus MacLeay, 1819
- Tribe Allotopini
- Genus Allotopus
-
- Allotopus moellenkampi (Fruhstorfer, 1894)
- Allotopus rosenbergi (Vollenhoven, 1872)
- Genus Mesotopus
-
- Tribe Chiasognathini
- Genus Cacostomus
-
- Cacostomus floralis (Lea, 1914)
- Cacostomus squamosus Newman, 1840
- Cacostomus subvittata (Moore, 1994)
- Genus Casignetus
- Genus Chiasognathus Stephens, 1831
-
- Chiasognathus beneshi Lacroix, 1978
- Chiasognathus granti Stephens, 1831
- Chiasognathus jousselini Reiche, 1850
- Chiasognathus latreillei Solier, 1851
- Chiasognathus mniszechii Kiesche 1919
- Genus Protognathinus
- Genus Sphaenognathus
-
- Tribe Cladognathini
- Genus Aphanognathus
-
- Aphanognathus laterotarsoides (Houlbert, 1915)
- Genus Capreolucanus
-
- Capreolucanus sicardi Didier, 1928
- Genus Cladophyllus
- Genus Eligmodontus
- Genus Gonometopus
- Genus Macrodorcas Motschulsky, 1862
-
- Macrodorcas adachii
- Macrodorcas amamiana
- Macrodorcas barbata
- Macrodorcas bisignata
- Macrodorcas bomansi
- Macrodorcas davidi
- Macrodorcas dierli
- Macrodorcas elsiledis
- Macrodorcas fulvonotata
- Macrodorcas humilis
- Macrodorcas intricata
- Macrodorcas kobayashii
- Macrodorcas koyamai
- Macrodorcas melliana
- Macrodorcas mochizukii
- Macrodorcas moellenkampi
- Macrodorcas montivaga
- Macrodorcas pieli
- Macrodorcas pseudaxis
- Macrodorcas recta Motschulsky, 1858
- Macrodorcas ruficrus
- Macrodorcas songiana
- Macrodorcas striatipennis Motschulsky, 1862
- Macrodorcas ursulae
- Macrodorcas vernicata
- Macrodorcas yaeyamaensis
- Genus Palaeognathus
- Genus Prismognathus Motschulsky, 1860
-
- Prismognathus alessandrae
- Prismognathus angularis C._O._Waterhouse, 1874
- Prismognathus branczicki
- Prismognathus cheni
- Prismognathus dauricus Motschulsky, 1860
- Prismognathus davidis
- Prismognathus delislei
- Prismognathus formosanus
- Prismognathus klapperichi
- Prismognathus lucidus
- Prismognathus morimotoi
- Prismognathus nigerrimus
- Prismognathus nigricolor
- Prismognathus piluensis
- Prismognathus platycephalus
- Prismognathus ruficephalus
- Prismognathus sinensis
- Prismognathus subnitens
- Prismognathus tokui
- Genus Prosopocoilus Westwood, 1845
- Genus Pseudorhaetus
- Genus Rhaetulus
- Genus Rhaetus
-
- Rhaetus westwoodi (Parry, 1862)
- Genus Tetrarthrius
- Genus Weinreichius
-
- Weinreichius perroti Lacroix, 1978
-
- Tribe Colophonini
- Genus Colophon
- Tribe Cyclommatini
- Genus Cyclommatus Parry, 1863
- Tribe Dendeziini
- Genus Dendezia
- Genus Oonotus Parry, 1864
- Genus Xiphodontus
- Genus Oonotus Parry, 1864
- Tribe Dorcini
- Genus Bartolozziolucanus
- Genus Cantharolethrus
-
- Cantharolethrus luxeri
- Genus Cyclommatus
-
- Cyclommatus scutellaris
- Genus Dorcasoides
- Genus Dorcus MacLeay, 1819
-
- Dorcus akahorii
- Dorcus alcides
- Dorcus alexisi
- Dorcus amamianus
- Dorcus antaeus
- Dorcus anteus
- Dorcus arfakianus
- Dorcus binodulosus
- Dorcus brevis
- Dorcus bucephalus
- Dorcus carinulatus
- Dorcus consentaneus
- Dorcus curvidens
- Dorcus cylindricus
- Dorcus davidis
- Dorcus emikoae
- Dorcus eurycephalus
- Dorcus formosanus
- Dorcus gracilicornis
- Dorcus garndis
- Dorcus hopei
- Dorcus hyperion
- Dorcus japonicus
- Dorcus kyanrauensis
- Dorcus metacostatus
- Dorcus miwai
- Dorcus musimon
- Dorcus parallelus
- Dorcus parallelipipedus Linnaeus, 1758
- Dorcus parryi
- Dorcus parvulus
- Dorcus peyronis
- Dorcus prochazkai
- Dorcus ratiocinativus
- Dorcus rectus
- Dorcus reichei
- Dorcus rudis
- Dorcus sawaii
- Dorcus schenklingi
- Dorcus sewertzowi
- Dorcus suturalis
- Dorcus taiwanicus
- Dorcus tanakai
- Dorcus taurus
- Dorcus tenuecostatus
- Dorcus titanus
- Dorcus tormosanus
- Dorcus ursulus
- Dorcus vavrai
- Dorcus velutinus
- Dorcus vicinus
- Dorcus yamadai
- Genus Homoderus
- Genus Leptinopterus
- Genus Prosopocoilus
-
- Prosopocoilus astacoides
- Prosopocoilus biplagiatus
- Prosopocoilus bison
- Prosopocoilus giraffa
- Prosopocoilus inclinatus
- Prosopocoilus savagei
- Genus Rhaetulus
-
- Rhaetulus crenatus
- Genus Serrognathus
- Genus Pycnosiphorus
- Genus Sclerostomus
- Genus Cantharolethrus
- Tribe Figulini
- Genus Cardanus
- Genus Dinonigidius
- Genus Figulus
- Genus Ganelius
- Genus Nigidionus
- Genus Nigidius
- Genus Novonigidius
- Genus Penichrolucanus
- Genus Dinonigidius
- Tribe Lucanini
- Genus Hexarthrius
- Genus Lucanus
-
- Lucanus capreolus
- Lucanus cervus
- Lucanus elaphus
- Lucanus formosanus
- Lucanus maculifemoratus
- Lucanus mazama
- Lucanus placidus
- Lucanus swinhoei
- Lucanus tetraodon
- Genus Pseudolucanus
-
- Pseudolucanus barbarossa ( Fabricius, 1801)
- Genus Lucanus
- Tribe Odontolabini
- Genus Calcodes
- Genus Neolucanus
-
- Neolucanus castanopterus
- Genus Odontolabis
-
- Odontolabis castelnaudi
- Odontolabis cuvera
- Odontolabis femoralis
- Odontolabis siva
- Genus Neolucanus
- Tribe Platycerini
- Genus Platyceroides Benesh, 1946
- Genus Platyceropsis Benesh, 1946
-
- Platyceropsis keeni (Casey, 1895)
- Genus Platycerus Geoffroy, 1762
- Genus Platyceropsis Benesh, 1946
Subfamily Syndesinae
- Tribe Ceruchini
- Genus Ceruchus MacLeay, 1819
-
- Ceruchus piceus ( Weber, 1801)
- Ceruchus punctatus LeConte, 1869
- Ceruchus striatus LeConte, 1859
-
- Tribe Sinodendronini
- Genus Sinodendron Hellwig in Schneider, 1792
-
- Sinodendron cylindricum (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Sinodendron rugosum Mannerheim, 1843
-
- Tribe Syndesini
- Genus Psilodon Perty, 1830
-
- Psilodon aequinoctiale (Buquet, 1840)
- Psilodon gilberti Boucher, 1993
- Psilodon schuberti Perty, 1830
- Psilodon seguyi (Didier, 1929)
- Psilodon xerophilicum Martinez & Reyes-Castillo, 1985
- Genus Syndesus MacLeay, 1819
-
- Syndesus cancellatus Montrouzier, 1860
- Syndesus cornutus (Fabricius, 1801)
- Syndesus macleayi Boileau, 1905
-
- Genus Ceruchus MacLeay, 1819