Aegus chelifer explained

Aegus chelifer, is a species of stag beetle found in Indo-Malaya regional countries.[1] [2]

Distribution

It is a widespread species of stag beetles found extensively throughout Indo-Malayan regions, west of Wallace's line, including: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,[3] Andaman and Nicobar islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore,[4] Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malayan peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. However, the species was recently found from Seychelles and Madagascar as an introduced species. The major cause for this is the dispersal event of large number of floating tree trunks from coastal forests of South East Asia which were carried westward by the South Equatorial Current during 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.[5]

Description

Body length is about 15.0 to 39.5 mm.[6] This species shows great intraspecific variation in their body sizes.[7] Males can be divided into two morphs based on their mandible size as minor and major morphs.[8]

Biology

A saproxylic species, adults and grubs are generally found in deadwood of broadleaf trees, under bark or fallen tree trunks, in forest patches near human settlements and firewood heaps. Male stag beetles usually involve aggressive behavior using their long mandibles to compete with rival males over females.[9] [10] Grubs are almost found within decaying wood or other decomposing substrates, where they feed on materials rich in fungal growth.[11]

Subspecies

Six subspecies have been identified.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nut Songvorawit . Chulalongkorn University . Buntika Areekul Butcher . Chulalongkorn University . Chatchawan Chaisuekul . Chulalongkorn University . 2018 . Captive breeding reveals larval performance and adult body size differences between two geographical populations of the stag beetle Aegus chelifer chelifer (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) . 2021-07-29 . Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology . English.
  2. Leung . Tsz Kin Calvin . Bonebrake . Timothy C. . Abundance, distribution and substrate association of Hong Kong stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in secondary forests . 2021-07-29 . Insect Conservation and Diversity . 2021 . 14 . 5 . 609–619 . en . 10.1111/icad.12492. 233713215 .
  3. Web site: The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora . 2021-07-25 . Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka.
  4. Seow-En . Isaac . Khoo . James Hian Ze . 2021 . Biodiversity Record: The stag beetle, Aegus chelifer, at the Sungei Tengah area . 2021-07-29 . Nature in Singapore . 14 . 12 . 10.26107/NIS-2021-0041.
  5. Web site: Aegus chelifer Macleay 1819, an Asian stag beetle (Coleoptera Lucanidae) invading the Seychelles Islands: a threat for endemic saproxylic species? . 2021-07-26 . Tropical Zoology 23(2):173-180.
  6. Web site: Aegus chelifer . 2021-07-29 . www.kaefer-der-welt.de.
  7. 2018-06-01 . Captive breeding reveals larval performance and adult body size differences between two geographical populations of the stag beetle Aegus chelifer chelifer (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) . Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology . 708–715 . en . 10.1016/j.aspen.2018.04.001. Songvorawit . Nut . Butcher . Buntika Areekul . Chaisuekul . Chatchawan . 21 . 2 . 90949472 . free .
  8. 2017-09-01 . Different allometric intercepts in major Aegus chelifer chelifer stag beetle males from urban and forest habitats . 2021-07-29 . Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology . 835–839 . en . 10.1016/j.aspen.2017.05.011. Songvorawit . Nut . Butcher . Buntika Areekul . Chaisuekul . Chatchawan . 20 . 3 . free .
  9. Songvorawit . Nut . Butcher . Buntika Areekul . Chaisuekul . Chatchawan . 2018-07-01 . Resource Holding Potential and the Outcome of Aggressive Interactions between Paired Male Aegus chelifer chelifer (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) Stag Beetles . 2021-07-29 . Journal of Insect Behavior . 31 . 4 . 347–360 . en . 10.1007/s10905-018-9683-z. 254693037 .
  10. Songvorawit . Nut . Butcher . Buntika Areekul . Chaisuekul . Chatchawan . 2019-12-01 . Size Does Not Matter: Same-Sex Sexual Behavior Occurred Regardless of Mandible Size in Male Stag Beetle Aegus chelifer chelifer (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) . 2021-07-29 . Journal of Insect Behavior . 32 . 4–6 . 282–289 . en . 10.1007/s10905-019-09733-w. 208060528 .
  11. Book: Huang, Ta-I . Saproxylic Insects . 2018 . Ulyshen . Michael D. . Diversity and Ecology of Stag Beetles (Lucanidae) . Zoological Monographs . 1 . http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-75937-1_4 . 2021-07-29 . Springer International Publishing . 149–165 . 10.1007/978-3-319-75937-1_4. 978-3-319-75936-4 .
  12. Web site: Aegus chelifer Macleay, 1819 . 2021-07-29 . www.gbif.org . en.

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