Geodorcus novaezealandiae

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Geodorcus novaezealandiae
G. novaezealandiae.jpg
Illustration from G.V.Hudson's "An elementary manual of New Zealand entomology".
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Lucanidae
Genus: Geodorcus
Species:
G. novaezealandiae
Binomial name
Geodorcus novaezealandiae
(F.W. Hope, 1845) [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Dorcus abdituss Broun, 1881
  • Dorcus punctulatus White, 1846
  • Sclerostomus caviceps Westwood, 1855

Geodorcus novaezealandiae is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is the type species and smallest member of the genus Geodorcus. [3] It is endemic to New Zealand.

Contents

Description

Pinned female specimen of Geodorcus novaezealandiae Geodorcus novaezealandiae.jpg
Pinned female specimen of Geodorcus novaezealandiae

This species is considerably smaller than other members of Geodorcus . Male Helm's stag beetle have been collected that are 44 mm including mandibles, whereas male Geodorcus novaezealandiae, including the mandibles, range in size from 12 to 21.5 mm. Females are generally smaller, ranging in size from 11 to 17.4 mm. Like all other Geodorcus, they show sexual dimorphism: the male beetle has a much wider head and larger mandibles. They have a dull to slightly glossy black exoskeleton with obvious raised ribs on the elytra. [3]

Distribution

This species is found in the south of the North Island. Its range extends from the Akatarawa Valley in the Tararua Range in the north of the region to the Aorangi Range in the south. It has been observed at altitudes from near sea level to 365 m. [3]

Habitat

Geodorcus novaezealandiae has been observed under the bark of live rimu and southern beech trees. They have also been found in old beech stumps and amongst roots. Like other Geodorcus species, they are forest-dwelling, nocturnal beetles. [3]

Conservation

All Geodorcus species are protected under Schedule 7 of the 1953 Wildlife Act, making it an offense to possess, harm or sell these beetles. [4] Geodorcus novaezealandiae is likely the most abundant of all the Geodorcus. [3] It has a conservation status of Naturally Uncommon (Range Restricted). [5]

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).

The false stag beetles (Diphyllostoma) are a group of three species of rare beetles known only from California. Almost nothing is known of their life history beyond that the adults are diurnal and females are flightless; larvae have not been observed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sisters (New Zealand)</span>

The Sisters / Rangitatahi is a group of three islands located 16 kilometres (10 mi) north of Cape Pattison, Chatham Island. They are the northernmost members of the Chatham Archipelago, located 800 kilometres (497 mi) east of New Zealand's South Island.

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

Lucanus cervus, the European 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>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>Geodorcus helmsi</i> Species of beetle

Geodorcus helmsi,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>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</i> Genus of beetles

Geodorcus is a genus of beetles belonging to the family Lucanidae. They are endemic to New Zealand. All Geodorcus species are protected under Schedule 7 of The 1953 Wildlife Act, making it an offense to hunt, kill or possess a specimen.

<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>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.

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

Geodorcus ithaginis, the Mokohinau stag beetle, is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It was described by Thomas Broun in 1893 after being discovered in the Mokohinau Islands by Andreas Stewart Sandager, a lighthouse keeper on the islands. The species survives only on the small unnamed island "Stack H", in a patch of vegetation the size of a living room, and is in extreme danger of extinction.

Geodorcus montivagus is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is known from only one female specimen found on the Victoria Range in New Zealand. It was found in tussock at 1,220 metres (4,000 ft) above sea level.

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

Geodorcus philpotti is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It was named by Major Thomas Broun after Mr A. Philpott, who discovered it at Hump Ridge near Invercargill. It is endemic to New Zealand.

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

Geodorcus servandus is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It was discovered by P.R. Kettle in December 1960 and this holotype specimen is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. It was first described by Beverley Holloway in 2007. Its type location is Mount Tuhua summit, near Lake Kaniere on the West Coast of New Zealand. The name servandus is a Latin word meaning "[something] to be preserved, conserved, looked after".

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

Geodorcus sororum is a large flightless species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae. It was discovered in 1973 by Mr. A. Wright on an expedition to Middle Sister Island/Te Awanui, one of The Sisters Islands/Rangitatahi which are part of the Chatham Islands in New Zealand. This holotype specimen is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection. It was first described by Beverley Holloway in 2007. The name sororum is translated from Latin to mean "belonging to the sisters".

<i>Paralissotes</i> Genus of beetles

Paralissotes is a genus of stag beetle that are endemic to New Zealand.

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

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

References

  1. ↑ Westwood, John Obadiah (1845). "A catalogue of the lucanoid Coleoptera in the collection of the Rev. F.W. Hope, ..., : Together with descriptions of the new species therein contained": 25. Retrieved 11 July 2017.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ↑ "Global Biodiversity Information Facility". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Holloway, B.A. "Lucanidae (Insecta: Coleoptera)" (PDF). Landcare New Zealand. Landcare Research. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  4. ↑ "Wildlife Act 1953". New Zealand Legislation. Parliamentary Counsel Office. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  5. ↑ Leschen, R. A. B.; Marris, J. W. M.; Emberson, R. M.; Nunn, J.; Hitchmough, R. A.; Stringer, I. A. N. (21 June 2012). "The conservation status of New Zealand Coleoptera". New Zealand Entomologist. 35 (2): 91–98. doi:10.1080/00779962.2012.686311. S2CID   219566068.
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