Australian magnificent stag beetle
| Australian magnificent stag beetle | ||||||||||||
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Australian magnificent stag beetle ( Phalacrognathus muelleri ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Phalacrognathus muelleri | ||||||||||||
| ( MacLeay , 1885) |
The magnificent Australian stag beetle ( Phalacrognathus muelleri ) is a species from the Schröter family .
distribution and habitat
The beetles only occur in a very small area in Queensland , which is why they are now very rare and strictly protected. They are only found in dense tropical rainforests, where they mostly sit on trees, whose sap they feed on.
description
Australian magnificent stag beetles grow up to seven centimeters long. The chitin armor has a very strong metallic shine and, depending on the incidence of light, either green or copper-colored. The body is elongated and very strong. In the males, the jaws are elongated to form antlers that are slightly curved upwards and forks at the end. Instead, the females have short but strong jaws. The antennae are short and thicken club-shaped at the end. The front legs are studded with thorns.
Reproduction
The larvae live in the rotten trunks of various trees and feed on their wood. After a development period of about a year, the larvae pupate and after a further 2-3 months the beetles hatch.
Danger
Because of their beauty, but also because of their rarity, the dead beetles are still popular collector's items today despite massive protective measures and bans.
