Family Lucanidae Genus Phalacrognathus Rank Species | Order Coleoptera Subfamily Lampriminae Scientific name Phalacrognathus muelleri Higher classification Phalacrognathus | |
 | ||
Similar | ||
Handling a rainbow stag beetle phalacrognathus muelleri
Phalacrognathus muelleri, colloquially the rainbow stag beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Lucanidae. It is found in northern Queensland, Australia and New Guinea.
Contents
- Handling a rainbow stag beetle phalacrognathus muelleri
- Rainbow stag beetle phalacrognathus muelleri
- Etymology
- Description
- Breeding
- Subspecies
- References
Phalacrognathus muelleri has been the official symbol of the Entomological Society of Queensland since 1973.
Rainbow stag beetle phalacrognathus muelleri
Etymology
This species is commonly known as golden, rainbow, magnificent, Mueller's and king stag beetle. In 1885 the species was named Phalacrognathus muelleri by Sir William Macleay in honour of Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, the Victorian Government Botanist, the genus Phalacrognathus created at the same time.
Description
Males of Phalacrognathus muelleri are the largest members of the Lucanidae family in Australia. Males range from 24 mm to 70 mm (0.9 to 2.8 in) in length, whereas the smaller females range from 23 mm to 46 mm (0.9 to 1.8 in).
Breeding
This species breeds in wet tropical areas. Up to 50 eggs can be laid by a female and these will take 10 to 14 days to hatch. The larva can be seen in the egg before emerging. The larvae are found in wet and rotting wood often in close proximity to white rot fungi and can take up to three years to mature.
Examples of fungi found proximate to breeding sites are: Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Patouillard, Nigrofomes melanoporus (Mont.) Murr., Phellinus nr. glaucescens (Petch) Ryvarden; Phellinus robustus (P. Karst) Baird, & Galz., Phellinus - 3 spp., and Pycnoporus sp.
Subspecies
