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Narrative
Stag Beetles, family Lucanidae, are characterized by a large pair of mandibles (pinchers) and unusual feather tipped antennae that are always jointed or bent in the middle. The larvae feed on tree roots, primarily of the hardwood group. Many of the species in this family, especially those found from India to Australia, have magnificent pinchers and are a great favorite with scientists who collect and study beetles.
There are probably over one thousand species in this family. Several distinct adult forms (polymorphism) are frequently found in this family. When one first sees a series of the same species ranging from small males with small underdeveloped mandibles to giant males with overdeveloped mandibles, one usually assumes that these are just young and mature specimens. However, since Lucanidae undergo a metamorphosis and the emerged adults do not grow, one must understand that a single species can produce a whole series of different forms.
Ever since the time of Darwin this family has attracted biologists in their quest for definition of the concept of species. One of the most important publications in this regard was Franz Leuthners Monograph of The Odontolabini, published in December, l883 and republished in English by the Zoological Society of London in l885. In 1953, Didier and Seguy published a list (Volume XXVII of the French Encyclopedie Entomologique) of the worlds known species (1086 of them) and some line drawings of some of the larger and more exotic forms.
A Mr. Benesh of Chicago immediately followed that publication with a complete literature listing of all the worlds species (984 of them). The differences mostly being attributed to reducing and raising various forms to species and subspecies levels.
Exciting work is still going on in this family as evidenced by the wonderful color book by Jean-Pierre Lacroix called IV Odontolabini published in l984 in France with text in German, French, and English. Recently, a magnificent book on this family was published in Japan.
Taxonomy
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Latin
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English
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Kingdom
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Animalia
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Animal
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Phylum
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Arthropoda
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Jointed Legged Animals
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Class
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Insecta
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Insects
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Order
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Coleoptera
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Beetles
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Family
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Lucanidae
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Beetles - Stag
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SubFamily
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References
| Title | Author | Comments |
| Monograph of the Odontolabini | Leuthner, Franz | This early work is of value as an aid in the identification of the Stag Beetles in the Odontolabis genus. However, since many species have been discovered since the publication, its value lies in the definition of terms for understanding the polymorphic nature of the Odontolabis. Furthermore, this scientist must be given credit for recognizing that the various forms of beetles in the genus were frequently just different adult forms of the same species. |
| French Encyclopedie Entomologique | Lechevalier, Paul, editor | This publication pertains to the beetle family Lucanidae. |
| Familia Lucanidae | Benesh, B. | This older work is a list of the known species of Lucanidae beetles, and the associated references for these species. |
| (The Beetles of the World) IV Odontolabini 1 | Lacroix, Jean-Pierre | The Sciences Nat series of France does an excellent job of picturing and describing all of the known species in a given genus of beetles. This is the fourth book in the series, and it covers the genus Odontolabis. (The closely related genus Neolucanus is not included in this work) |
| Catalogue Illustre des Lucanides du Globe | Didier, Dr.R. | This large format collection of 112 plates gives an excellent overview to the Lucanidae species of the world. Typically, there are from four to eight line drawings in each plate covering from one to four species. Although more recent books with color plates are useful, this work still serves as an excellent guide. The line drawings are superb and they show great detail. |
| The Lucanid Beetles of the World | Mizunuma, Tetsuo | The quality and detail of this book are incomparable. Most size forms of about 800 full species of Lucanidae are illustrated. 56 species and 54 subspecies are described as new. 68 species have been downgraded to subspecies. This large format book has over 300 pages and there are 156 full page color plates each depicting (depending up natural size of specimen) from about 20 to 50 specimens in full size. The text is in Japanese, but each specimen is named with its scientific Latin name. Capture locations are given in English. |
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| Genus | Species |
| Cytheitis | rhodopteron |
| Cytheitis | schultzei |
| Graphium | arcesilaus |
| Graphium | earis |
| Graphium | hipparchus |
| Graphium | iphitas |
| Graphium | orthosilaus |
| Iphimedeia | niepelti |
| Iphimedeia | richardus |
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