Dorcus parallelipipedus

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Dorcus parallelipipedus
Dorcus parallelipipedus, male, Ukraine, 2017.jpg
Male
Dorcus parallelipipedus 01.JPG
Female
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Lucanidae
Genus: Dorcus
Species:
D. parallelipipedus
Binomial name
Dorcus parallelipipedus
Close-up of D. parallelipipedus Dorcus parallelipipedus female.jpg
Close-up of D. parallelipipedus

Dorcus parallelipipedus, the lesser stag beetle, is a species of stag beetle found in Europe.

Contents

Description

Both sexes resemble the female greater stag beetle ( Lucanus cervus ), though they are a uniformly blackish colour rather than having the chestnut brown wing covers (elytra) of the larger species. Males have distinctly knobbed antennae, and although their jaws are somewhat larger than those of the females, they are nowhere near as large as those of many other male stag beetles. The lesser stag beetle is similar in appearance to the related antelope beetle ( Dorcus parallelus ) of North America. Adults are from 18 to 32 mm (0.7 to 1.3 in) in length.

Diet

Like those of other stag beetles, the white, C-shaped larvae feed on wood. Adults as well as larvae are found in very soft decaying wood of broad-leaved trees, especially ash ( Fraxinus excelsior ), beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) and apple ( Malus spp). Adults cannot eat solid food, but they can drink tree sap and the liquid of fallen fruits.

Life cycle and habitat

Adult beetles can be found in woodland, parkland and hedgerows in the summer, often resting in the sun on trees. After they mate, females lay their eggs in rotting, decaying wood. The larvae take only 1 to 2 years to develop, much less than Lucanus cervus, which can take up to 7 years. [1] They also live up to 2 years after emerging from its pupa, not like the larger beetle which only lives a few weeks as an adult. [2]

Adults disperse by flying, and sometimes coming to outside lights. This is a widespread species in most of England and is generally common (except in the far north), coming into gardens wherever there are orchards, old hedges or large trees.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deathwatch beetle</span> Species of woodboring beetle

The deathwatch beetle is a species of woodboring beetle that sometimes infests the structural timbers of old buildings. The adult beetle is brown and measures on average 7 mm (0.3 in) long. Eggs are laid in dark crevices in old wood inside buildings, trees, and inside tunnels left behind by previous larvae. The larvae bore into the timber, feeding for up to ten years before pupating, and later emerging from the wood as adult beetles. Timber that has been damp and is affected by fungal decay is soft enough for the larvae to chew through. They obtain nourishment by using enzymes present in their gut to digest the cellulose and hemicellulose in the wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hercules beetle</span> Species of beetle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardinal beetle</span> Species of beetle

Pyrochroa coccinea, commonly known as the black-headed cardinal beetle, is a species of cardinal beetle in the family Pyrochoidae. It is found mainly in wooded areas and pastures throughout central Europe, including southern Great Britain. Similar to other species of Ambrosia beetles, P. coccinea live and reproduce on wooden logs in early stages of decomposition. Larvae develop over the span of many years, with overlapping generations often inhabiting a single wooden territory. Adults, however, are short-lived and exist during a brief season. They typically show up in April, become more populous in May and early June, and become very rare in the remaining months.

<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>Serrognathus titanus</i> Giant stag beetle of the family Lucanidae

Serrognathus titanus is a species of beetle in the family Lucanidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1835. Huang and Chen (2013) separated Serognathus from the genus Dorcus by representing morphological characters and DNA analysis.

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

Lucanus capreolus, the reddish-brown stag beetle or pinching beetle, is a beetle of the family Lucanidae. The specific name capreolus is derived from Latin, meaning "roe deer". The name refers to the resemblance of the mandibles to deer antlers.

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

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mammoth wasp</span> Species of wasp

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<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>Paralissotes reticulatus</i> Species of beetle

Paralissotes reticulatus, also called the New Zealand reticulate stag beetle, is a native species of stag beetle from New Zealand. Although they do have wings they are flightless.

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

Dorcus parallelus, more commonly known as the antelope stag beetle, is a species from the Lucanidae family. Extensive research has not been done on this species. D. parallelus has been seen to be endemic to North America. Features of this species include its impressive size and distinctive antler-like mandibles useful during mating. These beetles are often compared to Dorcus parallelipipedus, the sister species mainly concentrated in Europe.

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

Geodorcus helmsi, known as New Zealand giant stag beetle or Helms's stag beetle, is a large, slow-moving, flightless stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.

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

Geodorcus alsobius, or Moehau stag beetle, is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is found only on Mt Moehau, the highest mountain in the Moehau Range on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand.

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

Geodorcus auriculatus is a large flightless stag beetle that is found in the southern part of the Coromandel Peninsula and on Mount Te Aroha in the Kaimai range of New Zealand.

Lucanus datunensis is a species of stag beetle endemic to 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>Dorcus hopei</i> Species of stag beetle

Dorcus hopei is a beetle in the family Lucanidae.

References

  1. "Stag beetle facts". People's Trust for Endangered Species. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  2. "Stag beetles – European Stag Beetle Monitoring Network" . Retrieved 2023-06-07.