| Lucanus datunensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Lucanidae |
| Genus: | Lucanus |
| Species: | L. datunensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Lucanus datunensis Hashimoto, 1984 | |
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.
The Chinese name of L. datunensis (大屯姬深山鍬形蟲) is named after its natural habitat and its small body size. Where 大屯 indicates Tatun Mountain and 姬 indicates princess which in Chinese symbolises small and delicate. The scientific name of the species was formed in a similar pattern where datunensis is named after the Tatun Mountain. The species has no common name in English since it is absent in English speaking regions.
Lucanus datunensis is situated in the subfamily Lucaninae within the family Lucanidae. There are a large number of species within the genus Lucanus. However, there are no known subspecies for L. datunensis. It is not closely related to any of the other 9 endemic Lucanus species in Taiwan. Instead, it is more closely related to Lucanus fortunei which is located in only found in mainland China. [1] This is believed to be due to the natural isolation caused by the environment.
Like most beetles in the genus Lucanus, the L. datunensis species are sexually dimorphic. [2] The male L. datunensis have a larger body size when compared to females, and have enlarged mandibles. Their body size is the smallest among all other stag beetles in Taiwan, the males have a body size (including the mandibles) ranging from 25–38 mm long, whereas the females only have a body size of 23–27 mm long. Both male and female L. datunensis have a russet Elytra which provides them camouflage to hide within the dirt, and hook-like claws at the end of their feet, which allow them to grab on to tree barks. Morphologically speaking Lucanus datunensis appeared to be a lot similar to Lucanus miwai , which is a distantly related species. [1] These adaptation were believed to be caused by environmental isolation and shifting of environment.
Adult Lucanus datunensiss only appear during late May and late June, which is also their mating seasons. Like most of the Lucanus species, the female would lay her egg under the soil or within a piece of rotten wood. However, due to their natural habitat, it is more common for the females to lay their egg under the soils due to the absence of trees in the region. The larval stage would last for 3–4 years to fully grown, and the adult stage would only last for 2 months. During the larval stage, Lucanus datunensis would be consuming rotten grass and soil as their major food source. [3]
Among all other stag beetles in Taiwan, L. datunensis exhibits a completely different ecology, L. datunensis can only be found in the hilltop region of Tatun Mountain. The region is at an elevation level of 800–1100 meters, which is relatively low when compared to other stag beetles species in Taiwan. [4] Two kinds of grass dominate the vegetations of this region, the dwarf bamboo and Japanese silver grass, and unlike an ordinary stag beetle habitat, there is an absence of trees in the hilltop region, although the surrounding areas of the Tatun Mountain are dominated by Machilus Castanopsis, leading to an absence of hardwoods. For other stag beetles, the hilltop region would not be an ideal habitat as they mainly feed on resins and fruit, live on tree branches, and lay their egg in rotten wood pieces. But the L. datunensis were evolved and adapted to the hilltop region. [3] L. datunensis is a significant species for the scientist due to this unique adaptation to the environment.
In the hilltop region, female L. datunensis are hard to track as most of the females tend to hide under rocks or soils even during mating seasons. The males are significantly more frequent in flights and are most commonly found hovering on the Japanese silver grasses. Unlike most stag beetles, L. datunensis are daylight beetles, they are most active during the morning from 5 am – 11 am. [1] The male L. datunensis can be found flying and hovering above the Japanese silver grass, looking for mates and food. most of the males tend to go hiding after the morning had passed, and became hard to find. These beetle remain passive in the night and are never attracted to lights in the nights. [3] Due to their behaviour pattern, it is hard to estimate their total population. Therefore the total population of the L. datunensis remained unknown. [1]
Lucanus datunensis, being the smallest stag beetle in Taiwan and have a behaviour of constantly flying on top of the grass field during the day, has a lot of predators that would feed on them. Its main predators in Taiwan are mostly birds and lizards such as Plestiodon elegans and Light-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis). [5]
Since the hilltop region of Tatun Mountain is close to various tourist attractions and farmlands, human activity became the major of the Lucanus datunensis. The natural habitat of L. datunensis had drastically decreased as lands were used in the construction of roads and agriculture industry of planting teas. The pesticides used by the agriculture industry are also threatening the L. datunensis as the beetles often got closed to the farmlands due to lack of habitat. The beetles are also threatened due to over capturing for commercial uses, as the L. datunensis is now identified as an endangered species, it became rare and valuable for the insect collector, which would illegally capture the beetles. [6] One of the major concern of L. datunensis is the inbreeding of the species, as their population and habitat continued to decline, inbreeding became rather common for the beetles. The genetic similarity L. datunensis would lead to vulnerability to diseases, which further lead to mass extinction. [1]
Due to the rarity and uniqueness of L. datunensis, every year insect enthusiasts and normal tourist would go to Tatun Mountain just to see them, bringing massive amount of profit to the local tourist economy. The Taiwan government had identified these species as an endangered species and had started multiple research on the conservation of this species. Multiple laws and legislation were raised, the Yangmingshan National Park had raised multiple educational activities to raise awareness for the beetles. However in order to keep the economic value these beetles brought to the region, the government had yet to set a complete restriction to the area in order to protect the beetles from illegal trafficking.
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).
Yangmingshan National Park is one of the nine national parks in Taiwan, located in both Taipei and New Taipei City. The districts that are partially in the park include Taipei's Beitou and Shilin Districts; and New Taipei's Wanli, Jinshan, Sanzhi and Tamsui Districts. The national park is known for its cherry blossoms, hot springs, sulfur deposits, fumaroles, venomous snakes, and hiking trails, including Taiwan's tallest dormant volcano, Qixing Mountain rising to 1,120 m (3,675 ft).
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.
Lucanus is a genus of stag beetles (Lucanidae).
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.
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.
Lucanus formosanus is a stag beetle which is endemic to Taiwan, and grows to a length of 45–80 millimetres (1.8–3.1 in). Like other species in the Lucanid family, L. formosanus exhibits distinct sexual dimorphism and subsequent external morphological allometry in males. Males of the species develop mandibles of various forms depending on geographic location; i.e. northern, central, and southern morphs.
Lucanus maculifemoratus is a beetle of the family Lucanidae. This species is known as Miyama stag beetle in Japan. These beetles have a light covering of golden hair on their back, mostly around the rear edges.
Lucanus tetraodon is a stag beetle of the family Lucanidae.
The Tatun Volcanic Group constitutes a group of volcanoes located in northern Taiwan. It is located 15 km north of Taipei, and lies to the west of Keelung. It just adjoins the northern coast of the Taiwan island. The volcanic group was a result of episodic volcanism between 2.8 and 0.2 Ma. As of 2005, some geothermal activity was occurring and gas fumaroles were active among these volcanoes. Observations of the Tatun Volcanic Group suggest that magma chambers probably still exist under the land surface of northern Taiwan.
The Lucanidae are a family of beetles that include the stag beetles. The family can be further subdivided in a taxonomy. The classification presented here follows Smith (2006), with the exception of the tribal classification within the Lucaninae.
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.
Lamprima aenea is a species of beetle in the family Lucanidae that is found on Norfolk Island. It has size of 27–30 mm for males and 23 to 26 mm for females.It has color variations such as dark bronze and blue and green as its typical color; there also are some breeders of Lamprina aenea in Japan and Taiwan. Due to the destruction of its natural habitat it became rare in the wild, the Norfolk Island become ionly endemic stag beetle.
Lucanus laminifer is a species of beetles of the family Lucanidae.
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.
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.
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.
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 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".
Aegus chelifer, is a species of stag beetle found in Indo-Malaya regional countries.
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