Lucanus capreolus

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Lucanus capreolus
Lucanus capreolus sjh.jpg
Adult males and females
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Lucanidae
Genus: Lucanus
Species:
L. capreolus
Binomial name
Lucanus capreolus

Lucanus capreolus, the reddish-brown stag beetle [1] or pinching beetle, [2] is a beetle of the family Lucanidae. The specific name capreolus is derived from Latin, meaning "roe deer" (capreolus literally means "little goat"). The name refers to the resemblance of the mandibles to deer antlers. [3]

Description

A relatively large lucanid beetle of the genus Lucanus, the male has long, curved upper jaws, resembling a sickle. The larvae are found in the trunks of old trees, feeding on the inner wood. It is dark reddish brown with smooth, shiny elytra (“wing cases”); the femora are orange brown. Males have much larger jaws than females. Jaws of males are not as large as those of Lucanus elaphus . The smaller L. placidus has two or more teeth on its jaws and has dark femora. It is 22–35 mm long.

The species was originally described by Carl Linnaeus as Scarabaeus capreolus in his 1763 Centuria Insectorum . (orig. comb.). Other known synonyms are: [4]

As with most of the species of the Lucanidae, sexual dimorphism is pronounced, and the male of Lucanus capreolus is larger than the female and armed with mandibles in the form of antlers.

Habitat

It lives in deciduous forests and adjacent areas [5] in the eastern United States and some parts of Canada. It can be found around decaying logs and stumps, where it breeds. Males use mandibles to fight at breeding sites. Eggs are deposited in rotting wood. Larvae live in decaying wood of deciduous trees. Larvae reportedly take two years to develop, and pupate in nearby soil. They are attracted to lights at night. They have been found in captivity to make burrows and nest in soil and mulch.

See also

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).

<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>Lucanus</i> (beetle) Genus of beetles

Lucanus is a genus of stag beetles (Lucanidae).

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

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

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

Lucanus elaphus, the giant stag beetle or elephant stag beetle, is a beetle of the family Lucanidae native to eastern North America. They are sometimes kept as pets.

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

Lucanus tetraodon is a stag beetle of the family Lucanidae.

<i>Prosopocoilus inclinatus</i> Species of beetle

Prosopocoilus inclinatus, the Japanese stag beetle or Kuwagatamushi is a beetle of the Family Lucanidae found in Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Sado Island, Tsushima, Yaku Island, and the Korean peninsula. Their common, English name is derived from the shape of their mandibles, which resemble the antlers of a stag. It is a popular children's pet in Japan.

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

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

<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>Lamprima aurata</i> Species of beetle

Lamprima aurata, the golden stag beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Lucanidae. In Tasmania, this species is referred to by the common name of Christmas beetle, a name that is normally used for beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, genus Anoplognathus.

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

Lucanus laminifer is a species of beetles of the family Lucanidae.

<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 Northern America, and highlightable features of this species would be 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.

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.

Hexarthrius melchioritis is a species of beetle, which belongs to the family of stag beetles (Lucanidae) in the group Scarabaeoidea.

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

References

  1. ↑ Classification of Lucanus capreolus
  2. ↑ NatureServe (4 August 2023). "Lucanus capreolus". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Etymology and diffusion of Lucanus capreolus
  4. ↑ Synonyms of Lucanus capreolus
  5. ↑ Habitat of Lucanus capreolus
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