Stag beetle

Stag beetles is a family of about 1,200 species of beetles in the

family Lucanidae, currently classified in four subfamilies.[1] Some Stag beetle
species grow to over 12 centimetres (41 ⁄2 inches), but most to about Temporal range:
5 cm (2 in). Middle Jurassic–Recent

PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K PgN

Contents
Overview
Evolution
Antler allometry
References
External links Male Lamprima aurata

Scientific classification

Overview Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda
The English name is
derived from the large and Class: Insecta
distinctive mandibles found Order: Coleoptera
on the males of most
species, which resemble Suborder: Polyphaga
the antlers of stags. Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
A well-known species in Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea
much of Europe is Lucanus
Family: Lucanidae
cervus, referred to in some
European countries Latreille, 1804
(including United Subfamilies
Kingdom) as the stag
Dorcus curvidens male (left) and
beetle; it is the largest
female (right)
terrestrial insect in Europe. Aesalinae
Pliny the Elder noted that Lampriminae
Nigidius called the beetle Lucaninae
lucanus after the Italian region of Lucania where they were used as Syndesinae
amulets. The scientific name of Lucanus cervus adds cervus, deer.

Male stag beetles are known for their over size mandibles used to wrestle each other for favoured mating sites
in a way that parallels the way stags fight over females. Fights may also be over food, such as tree sap and
decaying fruits. Despite their often fearsome appearance, they are not normally aggressive to humans. During
a battle the main objective is to dislodge its opponents tarsal claws with its mandible, thus disrupting their
balance. Due to its mandibles capable of exceeding its own body size it does come with a downside. Affecting
its movability of running due to its disproportional body, because of this they normally fly to their
destination.[2]
Female stag beetles are usually smaller than the males, with smaller
mandibles that are much more powerful than the males'.[3] As larvae,
females are distinguished by their cream-coloured, fat ovaries visible
through the skin around two-thirds of the way down their back.

The larvae feed for several years on rotting wood, growing through
three larval stages until eventually pupating inside a pupal cell
constructed from surrounding wood pieces and soil particles. In the
final larval stage, "L3", the surviving grubs of larger species, such as
Prosopocoilus giraffa, may be the size of a human finger.

They, along with rhinoceros beetles, are often bought as pets in South
Korea and Japan.[4][5]

Evolution
The oldest known fossil of the group is Juraesalus from the late
Paralissotes sp. illustrated by Des
Middle Jurassic (Callovian) Daohugou Beds of Inner Mongolia,
Helmore
China. While initially interpreted as a member of Aesalinae, it was
later interpreted to be a basal member of the family.[6]

Antler allometry
The Lucanidae have (male-only) antlers. Their size that often
varies among individuals. Such variation is termed a scaling
relationship or static allometry. Environmental conditions of
development affect antler size, but genetic factors are active.

References Antler allometry in Prosopocoilus savagei

1. Smith, A.B.T. (2006). A review of the family-group

names for the superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) with corrections to nomenclature and a
current classification. The Coleopterists Bulletin 60:144–204.
2. : Goyens J, Van Wassenbergh S, Dirckx J, Aerts P. 2015 Cost of flight and the evolution of stag
beetle weaponry. J. R. Soc. Interface 12: 20150222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2015.0222
3. "How to help stag beetles" (https://web.archive.org/web/20170202000642/http://www.wildlondo
n.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/Stag%20beetle%20advice%20note.pdf) (PDF).
wildlondon.org.uk. London Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original (http://www.wildlondon.org.
uk/sites/default/files/files/Stag%20beetle%20advice%20note.pdf) (PDF) on February 2, 2017.
Retrieved May 7, 2017.
남상호 자연 다큐 곤충 세계 여행 곤충도 황금알 을 낳는다
4. "[ / ④] ' ' " (http://www.sisajournal.com/news/ar
시사저널
ticleView.html?idxno=99926). (in Korean). 2001-09-28. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
5. Lombardi, Linda (26 May 2014). "How to Care for Your Beetle" (https://web.archive.org/web/20
180306165325/https://www.tofugu.com/japan/pet-beetles-in-japan/). tofugu.com. Archived from
the original (https://www.tofugu.com/japan/pet-beetles-in-japan/) on 6 March 2018. Retrieved
5 March 2018.
6. Kim, Sang Il; Farrell, Brian D. (May 2015). "Phylogeny of world stag beetles (Coleoptera:
Lucanidae) reveals a Gondwanan origin of Darwin's stag beetle" (https://linkinghub.elsevier.co
m/retrieve/pii/S1055790315000457). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 86: 35–48.
doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.02.015 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ympev.2015.02.015).
External links
Data related to Lucanidae at Wikispecies
Media related to Lucanidae at Wikimedia Commons
Flickr (https://web.archive.org/web/20151207104415/https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/lucanid
ae/interesting/) Images
Stag beetle info (http://www.stagbeetle.info/) Research site containing much information on the
stag beetle as well as information on current conservation schemes.
M.J. Paulsen. "Annotated Checklist of the New World Lucanidae" (https://www.webcitation.org/
66rdT3WSg?url=http://www-museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/Guide/Scarabaeoidea/Luca
nidae/Lucanidae-Catalog/LucanidaeC.htm). Archived from the original (http://www-museum.un
l.edu/research/entomology/Guide/Scarabaeoidea/Lucanidae/Lucanidae-Catalog/LucanidaeC.h
tm) on 2012-04-12. Retrieved 2007-09-14. Checklist of New World stag beetles with links to
pages with additional information and images.
Toma Libich. "Goliathus.com: gallery of Lucanidae" (http://www.goliathus.com/en/en-lucanidae.
html).
"Gallery of Lucanidae" (https://web.archive.org/web/20061020115522/http://www.goliathus.cz/e
n/museum-lucanidae-2.html). Archived from the original (http://www.goliathus.cz/en/museum-lu
canidae-2.html) on 2006-10-20.
J M Maes. "Biodiversity: section on Lucanidae with a world catalogue and a world
bibliography" (http://www.bio-nica.info).
Asahinet (http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~CH2M-NITU/kuwagate.htm) Stag beetles on postage
stamps and species illustrations.
Lucanes du Monde (https://web.archive.org/web/20180409235807/http://lucanesdumonde.skyn
etblogs.be/) Image rich French blog
TOL (http://www.tolweb.org/Lucanidae/9538)
The Lucanid (Stag) Beetles of the World (http://www.koreanbook.de/index.phpmain_page=prod
uct_info&cPath=84_40&products_id=1641/) Extra detailed specimen photobook 2009
UNL (https://web.archive.org/web/20120627172602/http://www-museum.unl.edu/research/ento
mology/Guide/Scarabaeoidea/Lucanidae/Lucanidae-Overview/LucanidaeO.html) Generic
Guide to New World Scarabs- Lucanidae,
UK Stag Beetle School Project (http://www.stagbeetles.co.uk) A UK school project about Stag
Beetles (collecting data on populations)

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This page was last edited on 23 December 2020, at 03:23 (UTC).

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