Chiasognathus grantii

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Chiasognathus grantii
Chiasognathus.granti.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Lucanidae
Genus: Chiasognathus
Species:
C. grantii
Binomial name
Chiasognathus grantii
Stephens, 1831  [1]
Synonyms

See text

Chiasognathus grantii is a species of stag beetle found in Argentina and Chile. [2] It is known as Darwin's beetle, Grant's stag beetle, or the Chilean stag beetle. [3] [4]

Contents

Behavior

The male's oversized jaws are crucial in its objective to secure a mate. It climbs trees, often climbing many meters, searching for a female. As it climbs and searches for females, it also seeks out other males in the vicinity. When two males meet, they fight. Males use their jaws in combat: they hook them under the opposite beetle's wings, pull up and throw their opponent to the ground (from 20 meters above, as they are in great trees most of the time). [5] Charles Darwin collected the species in Chile during the second voyage of HMS Beagle, and, despite the enlarged mandibles of the males, he noted that the jaws were "not so strong as to produce pain to finger". [6] [7]

Taxonomy and nomenclature

Chiasognathus grantii is one of the seven species belonging to the genus Chiasognathus . [8] It belongs to the subfamily Lucaninae, the largest subfamily in the stag beetle family Lucanidae. C. grantii is also known locally as ciervo volante, cantaria, and cacho de cabra in Spanish and llico-llico in the Mapuche language. [3]

Synonyms

Synonyms of this species include: [9]

Description

Chiasognathus grantii from Chile. Males and female. Mounted specimen Lucanidae - Chiasognathus grantii-001.JPG
Chiasognathus grantii from Chile. Males and female. Mounted specimen

Chiasognathus grantii is very variable in size and in the development of the jaws and exhibits a strong sexual dimorphism. Males can reach a length of 60–90 millimetres (2.4–3.5 in) including the mandibles, while females are much smaller, having a body length of 25–37 millimetres (0.98–1.46 in). The upper mandibles of the males are very robust at the base, finely serrated and longer than the body itself. The eyes are small and the antennae have a whorl of hairs at the apex. The thorax is broad and the anterior and posterior margins are densely ciliated with short pale hairs. Elytrae are chestnut-brown, with slightly greenish iridescent tinges and finely granulated. [10]

C. grantii is considered a rare and vulnerable species, with a high probability of extinction, [11] mainly as a consequence of the global climate change.[ citation needed ] The adults of these beetles primarily feed on tree juices, while the larvae eat dead wood.

Habitat

Chiasognathus grantii lives in temperate/subantarctic Nothofagus forests.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stag beetle</span> Family of insects

Stag beetles are a family of about 1,200 species of beetles in the family Lucanidae, currently classified in four subfamilies. Some species grow to over 12 centimetres, but most to about 5 cm (2 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucaninae</span> Subfamily of beetles

The Lucaninae comprise the largest subfamily of the stag beetles (Lucanidae).

<i>Lucanus cervus</i> Species of beetle

Lucanus cervus, known as the European stag beetle, or the greater stag beetle, is one of the best-known species of stag beetle in Western Europe, and is the eponymous example of the genus. L. cervus is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.

<i>Odontolabis cuvera</i> Species of beetle

Odontolabis cuvera, the golden stag beetle, is a beetle of the family Lucanidae, stag beetles.

<i>Chiasognathus</i> Genus of beetles

Chiasognathus is a genus of stag beetles found in Argentina and Chile. It includes seven species:

<i>Cyclommatus metallifer</i> Species of beetle

Cyclommatus metallifer is a species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. There is sexual dimorphism within the species. Males are generally larger in size and have enlarged mandibles. It is named for its metallic coloration, which ranges in color and may be varying levels of black, brown, or gold. This species is notably easy to maintain, making it a useful species for scientific study. Additionally, it has been kept as an exotic pet.

<i>Dynastes grantii</i> Species of beetle

The western Hercules beetle is a species of rhinoceros beetle that lives in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and parts of northern Mexico. This species is known for its grayish-white elytra, large size, and characteristic horn of the adult males.

<i>Cyclommatus</i> Genus of beetles

Cyclommatus is a genus of the family Lucanidae, also known as the stag beetle. The majority of the species from the genus Cyclommatus are located in Southeast Asia, though some species are found in China and Taiwan as well. The genus Cyclommatus also consists of three subgenera: Cyclommatus, Cyclommatinus and Cyclommatellus. Each subgenera contains 80, 24 and 3 species respectively. In total, the genus Cyclommatus consists of a total of 134 species, though more are still being discovered to this day.

<i>Hexarthrius parryi</i> Species of beetle

Hexarthrius parryi, the fighting giant stag beetle, is a species of large stag beetles. It belongs to the genus Hexarthrius of the tribe Lucanini. It is classified under the subfamily Lucaninae of the stag beetle family Lucanidae.

<i>Leptinopterus tibialis</i> Species of beetle

Leptinopterus tibialis is a species of beetles belonging to the family Lucanidae.

<i>Dorcus rectus</i> Species of beetle

Dorcus rectus, the little stag beetle, is a species of beetles in the family Lucanidae. It can be found in China(Liaoning), Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Russia. These beetles have a distinctive red shell that separates them from Dorcus curvidens. Males of this species have been observed to have mandible trimorphism, a characteristic that has only been described in two species of Lucanidae—with the other one being Odontolabis cuvera—"and a small number of other invertebrates" as of 2017. The mandibles are used by males as weapons.

<i>Geodorcus capito</i> Species of beetle

Geodorcus capito is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is endemic to the Chatham Islands in New Zealand.

<i>Apterocyclus honoluluensis</i> Species of beetle

Apterocyclus honoluluensis, the Kauai flightless stag beetle, is a species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is found on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands.

<i>Apterocyclus palmatus</i> Species of beetle

Apterocyclus palmatus is a species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is found on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands.

<i>Apterocyclus</i> Genus of beetles

Apterocyclus is a genus of rare stag beetles in the family Lucanidae. There are about five described species in Apterocyclus. The species of Apterocyclus are found only on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands, and are the only scarabaeoid beetles native to the Hawaiian Islands.

Lucanus datunensis is a species of stag beetle endemic to the Tatun Mountain of Taiwan's Yangmingshan.It is first discovered in 1984. It is the smallest stag beetle in Taiwan and is an endangered species threatened by recent human activity.

<i>Apterocyclus kawaii</i> Species of beetle

Apterocyclus kawaii is a species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is found on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands.

Chiasognathus sombrus is a beetle which belongs to the family of stag beetles (Lucanidae) in the group Scarabaeoidea.

Dinonigidius bartolozzii, is a species of stag beetle endemic to Sri Lanka.

<i>Aegus chelifer</i> Species of beetle

Aegus chelifer, is a species of stag beetle found in Indo-Malaya regional countries.

References

  1. ↑ "Chiasognathus grantii". Biolib.cz. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  2. ↑ M. J. Paulsen (November 24, 2008). "Annotated Checklist of the New World Lucanidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)". Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Charles Leonard Hogue (1993). "Chilean stag beetle". Latin American Insects and Entomology. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. pp.  263–264. ISBN   978-0-520-07849-9.
  4. ↑ "Coyhaique". South Anglers. Archived from the original on 2009-12-08. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
  5. ↑ David Attenborough (narrator). Life: Darwin Beetle Tosses Rivals (Television production). Life Series, BBC/Life: Insects, The Discovery Channel, Discovery Communications, LLC.
  6. ↑ "Entomology treasures". Natural History Museum . Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  7. ↑ Kenneth G. V. Smith (1987). "Darwin's insects: Charles Darwin's entomological notes, with an introduction and comments by Kenneth G. V. Smith". Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) . Historical Series. 14 (1): 1–143. doi: 10.5962/p.314519 . Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  8. ↑ M. J. Paulsen & Andrew B. T. Smith (2010). "Revision of the genus Chiasognathus Stephens of southern South America with the description of a new species (Coleoptera, Lucanidae, Lucaninae, Chiasognathini)". ZooKeys (43): 33–63. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.43.397 .
  9. ↑ M. J. Paulsen (August 5, 2009). "Generic Guide to New World Scarab Beetles: Chiasognathus grantii Stephens, 1832". University of Nebraska State Museum - Division of Entomology. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
  10. ↑ James Francis Stephens A description of Chiasognathus grantii
  11. ↑ Vergara, Olivia; Jerez, Viviane (2009-12-01). "Estado de conservación de Chiasognathus granti Stephens 1831 (Coleóptera: Lucanidae) en Chile". Revista Chilena de Historia Natural - REV CHIL HIST NAT. 82 (4). doi: 10.4067/S0716-078X2009000400010 .
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