| Platycerus caraboides | |
|---|---|
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| Platycerus caraboides. Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Lucanidae |
| Genus: | Platycerus |
| Species: | P. caraboides |
| Binomial name | |
| Platycerus caraboides | |
| Synonyms | |
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Platycerus caraboides is a species of stag beetle belonging to the family Lucanidae, subfamily Lucaninae.
Subspecies include: [1]
These beetles are present in most of Europe (Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy [2] , Luxembourg, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and United Kingdom), in Asia (China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Syria, Turkey) and in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) [3]
Platycerus caraboides can reach a body length of about 9–13 mm (0.35–0.51 in). These beetles have flat body, metallic black, steel blue or greenish. Antennae are geniculate, with a club of 3 items, Jaws are denticulate at the inner edge and also in the male they are shorter than the head. [4] This species can be easily distinguished as a stag beetle by its geniculate (elbowed) antennae.
This species is very similar to Platycerus caprea (De Geer, 1774).
Adults can mostly be encountered from May through July, flying around during the day in deciduous forests or staying on the ground on rotten branches. The predominantly host-plants are broadleaf plants, but also conifers (mainly Pinus species). The larvae usually live on decayed wood of oak and beech. [4]
Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera, in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 described species, is the largest of all orders, constituting almost 40% of described insects and 25% of all known animal species; new species are discovered frequently, with estimates suggesting that there are between 0.9 and 2.1 million total species. Found in almost every habitat except the sea and the polar regions, they interact with their ecosystems in several ways: beetles often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are serious agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle, while others such as Coccinellidae eat aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. Some others also have unusual characteristics, such as fireflies, which use a light-emitting organ for mating and communication purposes.
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.
The Lucaninae comprise the largest subfamily of the stag beetles (Lucanidae).
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.
Phalacrognathus muelleri, colloquially known as the rainbow stag beetle, and also the king, magnificent or Mueller's stag beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is found in northern Queensland, Australia and New Guinea. It can come in red, green, black, and blue forms. It is the only species in its genus, Phalacrognathus, which is closely related to the genus Lamprima.
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.
Sinodendron rugosum is a species of the family Lucanidae, the stag beetles. It is commonly referred to as the rugose stag beetle, and is the only known member of the genus Sinodendron to occur in western North America.
Dinera ferina (Fallen) is a species of fly in the family Tachinidae. In June 2018, the Bulletin of Insectology wrote that Dinera ferina was "confirmed to be a parasitoid of larvae of the two Italian Platycerus species, Platycerus caprea and Platycerus caraboides (L.) ."
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.
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.
Platycerus is a genus of stag beetles (Lucanidae), belonging to the subfamily Lucaninae.
Syndesus ambericus is an extinct species of stag beetles in the subfamily Syndesinae known from a single possibly Miocene fossil found on Hispaniola. S. ambericus is the first species of stag beetle to have been described from fossils found in Dominican amber and is one of four species from amber, and the only stag beetle species known from the Caribbean.
Platycerus caprea is a species of beetle, from the subfamily Lucaninae of family Lucanidae. It was discovered by Charles De Geer in 1774, and was thus the first known member of its genus.
Platycerus caucasicus is a species of stag beetle from the subfamily Lucaninae of family Lucanidae. It was discovered by Frederic Parry in 1864.
Platycerus oregonensis is a species of stag beetle, from the subfamily Lucaninae of family Lucanidae. It was discovered by John O. Westwood in 1844.
The rhinoceros stag beetle, also known as the horned stag beetle, or simply the rhinoceros beetle, is a species of stag beetle native to Europe. It is characterised by a clear sexual dimorphism.
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.
Chiasognathus sombrus is a beetle which belongs to the family of stag beetles (Lucanidae) in the group Scarabaeoidea.
Figulus is a genus of beetle in the family Lucanidae. They have a paleotropical distribution, including occurrences in Australia.
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