Stag beetle

Stag beetles are a group of about 1,200 species of beetle in the family Lucanidae, presently classified in four subfamilies Some species grow to 8  cm (3¼  in), but most are about 5 cm (2 in).

The English name is derived from the large and distinctive mandibles found on the males of most species, which resemble the antlers of stags.

A well-known species in much of Europe is Lucanus cervus, referred to in Britain as "the" stag beetle (it is the largest British terrestrial insect). Pliny the Elder noted that Nigidius called the stag beetle lucanus after the Italian region of Lucania where they were used as amulets. The scientific name of Lucanus cervus is this word, plus cervus, deer.

Male stag beetles use their jaws to wrestle each other for favoured mating sites, but despite their often fearsome appearance they are not normally aggressive to humans. Stag beetles are sometimes used in the Chinese sport of insect fighting.

Female stag beetles are usually smaller than the males, with smaller mandibles.

The larvae feed for several years on rotting wood, growing into grubs which in larger species may be as big as a human finger.

Partial List of Species

(classification follows Smith, 2006)
Subfamily Aesalinae

Tribe Aesalini

Genus Aesalus ( Fabricius, 1801)

• Aesalus asiaticus Lewis, 1883
• Aesalus himalayicus Kurosawa, 1985
• Aesalus imanishii Inahara & Ratti, 1991
• Aesalus meridionalis Bartolozzi, 1989
• Aesalus neotropicalis Bates, 1886
• Aesalus saburoi
• Aesalus sawaii Fujita & Ichikawa, 1985
• Aesalus scarabaeoides Panzer, 1793
• Aesalus sichuanensis
• Aesalus smithi Bates, 1889
• Aesalus trogoides Albers, 1883
• Aesalus ulanowskii Ganglbauer, 1886

Genus Cretaesalus (fossil)

Genus Echinoaesalus Zelenka, 1993

• Echinoaesalus barriesi (Zelenka, 1993)
• Echinoaesalus hidakai (Araya, 1993)
• Echinoaesalus jaechi (Zelenka,1993)
• Echinoaesalus matsuii (Araya, 1993)
• Echinoaesalus sabahensis (Zelenka, 1994)
• Echinoaesalus schuhi (Zelenka, 1994)
• Echinoaesalus timidus (Krikken, 1975)
• Echinoaesalus yongi (Araya, 1993)

Genus Lucanobium Howden & Lawrence, 1974

• Lucanobium squamosum Howden & Lawrence, 1974

Tribe Ceratognathini

Genus Ceratognathus Westwood, 1838

• Ceratognathus abdominalis Parry, 1870
• Ceratognathus bitumulatus Carter, 1925
• Ceratognathus flabellatus Boileau, 1905
• Ceratognathus frenchi Blackburn, 1897
• Ceratognathus froggatti Blackburn, 1894
• Ceratognathus gilesi Blackburn, 1895
• Ceratognathus macrognathus Boileau, 1905
• Ceratognathus mentiferus Westwood, 1863
• Ceratognathus minutus Lea, 1929
• Ceratognathus niger Westwood, 1838
• Ceratognathus ocularis Carter, 1925
• Ceratognathus rufipennis Westwood, 1872
• Ceratognathus tasmanus Benesh, 1943
• Ceratognathus westwoodi Thomson, 1862

Genus Hilophyllus Paulsen & Mondaca, 2006

• Hilophyllus argentinensis (Martinez, 1981)
• Hilophyllus martinezi Paulsen & Mondaca, 2006
• Hilophyllus penai (Martinez, 1976)

Genus Mitophyllus Parry, 1843

• Mitophyllus alboguttatus (Bates, 1867)
• Mitophyllus dispar (Sharp, 1882)
• Mitophyllus foveolatus (Broun, 1880)
• Mitophyllus gibbosus (Broun, 1884)
• Mitophyllus insignis Broun, 1921
• Mitophyllus irroratus Parry, 1842
• Mitophyllus macrocerus (Broun, 1886)
• Mitophyllus parrianus Westwood, 1863
• Mitophyllus reflexus Broun, 1908

Tribe Nicagini

Genus Nicagus LeConte, 1861

• Nicagus obscurus (LeConte, 1848)
• Nicagus occultus Paulsen & Smith, 2005
• Nicagus japonicus Nagel, 1928

Genus Holloceratognathus Nikolajev, 1998

• Holloceratognathus cylindricus (Broun, 1895)
• Holloceratognathus helotoides (Thomson, 1862)
• Holloceratognathus passaliformis (Holloway, 1962)

Subfamily Lampriminae

Genus Dendroblax White, 1846

• Dendroblax earlianus White, 1846

Genus Homolamprima

• Homolamprima crenulata (MacLeay, 1885)

Genus Lamprima

• Lamprima adolphinae (Gestro, 1875)
• Lamprima aurata

Genus Phalacrognathus

• Phalacrognathus muelleri MacLeay, 1885

Genus Streptocerus Dejean, 1833

• Streptocerus speciosus Fairmaire, 1850

Subfamily Lucaninae Latreille, 1804

Tribe Aegini

Genus Aegus MacLeay, 1819

Tribe Allotopini

Genus Allotopus

• Allotopus moellenkampi (Fruhstorfer, 1894)
• Allotopus rosenbergi (Vollenhoven, 1872)

Genus Mesotopus

Tribe Chiasognathini

Genus Cacostomus

• Cacostomus floralis (Lea, 1914)
• Cacostomus squamosus Newman, 1840
• Cacostomus subvittata (Moore, 1994)

Genus Casignetus

Genus Chiasognathus Stephens, 1831

• Chiasognathus beneshi Lacroix, 1978
• Chiasognathus granti Stephens, 1831
• Chiasognathus jousselini Reiche, 1850
• Chiasognathus latreillei Solier, 1851
• Chiasognathus mniszechii Kiesche 1919

Genus Protognathinus

Genus Sphaenognathus

Tribe Cladognathini

Genus Aphanognathus

• Aphanognathus laterotarsoides (Houlbert, 1915)

Genus Capreolucanus

• Capreolucanus sicardi Didier, 1928

Genus Cladophyllus

Genus Eligmodontus

Genus Gonometopus

Genus Macrodorcas Motschulsky, 1862

• Macrodorcas adachii
• Macrodorcas amamiana
• Macrodorcas barbata
• Macrodorcas bisignata
• Macrodorcas bomansi
• Macrodorcas davidi
• Macrodorcas dierli
• Macrodorcas elsiledis
• Macrodorcas fulvonotata
• Macrodorcas humilis
• Macrodorcas intricata
• Macrodorcas kobayashii
• Macrodorcas koyamai
• Macrodorcas melliana
• Macrodorcas mochizukii
• Macrodorcas moellenkampi
• Macrodorcas montivaga
• Macrodorcas pieli
• Macrodorcas pseudaxis
• Macrodorcas recta Motschulsky, 1858
• Macrodorcas ruficrus
• Macrodorcas songiana
• Macrodorcas striatipennis Motschulsky, 1862
• Macrodorcas ursulae
• Macrodorcas vernicata
• Macrodorcas yaeyamaensis

Genus Palaeognathus

Genus Prismognathus Motschulsky, 1860

• Prismognathus alessandrae
• Prismognathus angularis C._O._Waterhouse, 1874
• Prismognathus branczicki
• Prismognathus cheni
• Prismognathus dauricus Motschulsky, 1860
• Prismognathus davidis
• Prismognathus delislei
• Prismognathus formosanus
• Prismognathus klapperichi
• Prismognathus lucidus
• Prismognathus morimotoi
• Prismognathus nigerrimus
• Prismognathus nigricolor
• Prismognathus piluensis
• Prismognathus platycephalus
• Prismognathus ruficephalus
• Prismognathus sinensis
• Prismognathus subnitens
• Prismognathus tokui

Genus Prosopocoilus Westwood, 1845

Genus Pseudorhaetus

Genus Rhaetulus

Genus Rhaetus

• Rhaetus westwoodi (Parry, 1862)

Genus Tetrarthrius

Genus Weinreichius

• Weinreichius perroti Lacroix, 1978

Tribe Colophonini

Genus Colophon

Tribe Cyclommatini

Genus Cyclommatus Parry, 1863

Tribe Dendeziini

Genus Dendezia

Genus Oonotus Parry, 1864

Genus Xiphodontus

Tribe Dorcini

Genus Bartolozziolucanus

Genus Cantharolethrus

• Cantharolethrus luxeri

Genus Cyclommatus

• Cyclommatus scutellaris

Genus Dorcasoides

Genus Dorcus MacLeay, 1819

• Dorcus akahorii
• Dorcus alcides
• Dorcus alexisi
• Dorcus amamianus
• Dorcus antaeus
• Dorcus anteus
• Dorcus arfakianus
• Dorcus binodulosus
• Dorcus brevis
• Dorcus bucephalus
• Dorcus carinulatus
• Dorcus consentaneus
• Dorcus curvidens
• Dorcus cylindricus
• Dorcus davidis
• Dorcus emikoae
• Dorcus eurycephalus
• Dorcus formosanus
• Dorcus gracilicornis
• Dorcus garndis
• Dorcus hopei
• Dorcus hyperion
• Dorcus japonicus
• Dorcus kyanrauensis
• Dorcus metacostatus
• Dorcus miwai
• Dorcus musimon
• Dorcus parallelus
• Dorcus parallelipipedus Linnaeus, 1758
• Dorcus parryi
• Dorcus parvulus
• Dorcus peyronis
• Dorcus prochazkai
• Dorcus ratiocinativus
• Dorcus rectus
• Dorcus reichei
• Dorcus rudis
• Dorcus sawaii
• Dorcus schenklingi
• Dorcus sewertzowi
• Dorcus suturalis
• Dorcus taiwanicus
• Dorcus tanakai
• Dorcus taurus
• Dorcus tenuecostatus
• Dorcus titanus
• Dorcus tormosanus
• Dorcus ursulus
• Dorcus vavrai
• Dorcus velutinus
• Dorcus vicinus
• Dorcus yamadai

Genus Homoderus

Genus Leptinopterus

Genus Prosopocoilus

• Prosopocoilus astacoides
• Prosopocoilus biplagiatus
• Prosopocoilus bison
• Prosopocoilus giraffa
• Prosopocoilus inclinatus
• Prosopocoilus savagei

Genus Rhaetulus

• Rhaetulus crenatus

Genus Serrognathus

Genus Pycnosiphorus

Genus Sclerostomus

Tribe Figulini

Genus Cardanus

Genus Dinonigidius

Genus Figulus

Genus Ganelius

Genus Nigidionus

Genus Nigidius

Genus Novonigidius

Genus Penichrolucanus

Tribe Lucanini

Genus Hexarthrius

Genus Lucanus

• Lucanus capreolus
• Lucanus cervus
• Lucanus elaphus
• Lucanus formosanus
• Lucanus maculifemoratus
• Lucanus mazama
• Lucanus placidus
• Lucanus swinhoei
• Lucanus tetraodon

Genus Pseudolucanus

• Pseudolucanus barbarossa ( Fabricius, 1801)

Tribe Odontolabini

Genus Calcodes

Genus Neolucanus

• Neolucanus castanopterus

Genus Odontolabis

• Odontolabis castelnaudi
• Odontolabis cuvera
• Odontolabis femoralis
• Odontolabis siva

Tribe Platycerini

Genus Platyceroides Benesh, 1946

Genus Platyceropsis Benesh, 1946

• Platyceropsis keeni (Casey, 1895)

Genus Platycerus Geoffroy, 1762

Subfamily Syndesinae

Tribe Ceruchini

Genus Ceruchus MacLeay, 1819

• Ceruchus piceus ( Weber, 1801)
• Ceruchus punctatus LeConte, 1869
• Ceruchus striatus LeConte, 1859

Tribe Sinodendronini

Genus Sinodendron Hellwig in Schneider, 1792

• Sinodendron cylindricum (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Sinodendron rugosum Mannerheim, 1843

Tribe Syndesini

Genus Psilodon Perty, 1830

• Psilodon aequinoctiale (Buquet, 1840)
• Psilodon gilberti Boucher, 1993
• Psilodon schuberti Perty, 1830
• Psilodon seguyi (Didier, 1929)
• Psilodon xerophilicum Martinez & Reyes-Castillo, 1985

Genus Syndesus MacLeay, 1819

• Syndesus cancellatus Montrouzier, 1860
• Syndesus cornutus (Fabricius, 1801)
• Syndesus macleayi Boileau, 1905

• 

  Cacostomus squamosus

• 

  Dorcus curvidens

• 

  Dorcus parallelipipedus

• 

  Lamprima adolphinae

• 

  Lucanus cervus Male

• 

  Lucanus maculifemoratus

• 

  Lucanus swinhoei

• 

  Odontolabis cuvera

• 

  Odontolabis femoralis

• 

  Prosopocoilus astacoides

• 

  Prosopocoilus giraffa

• 

  Rhaetulus crenatus