Lamprima aurata

The golden stag beetle (Lamprima aurata) is a species of beetles in the family Lucanidae. It measures between 15 and 25 mm in length and is relatively common throughout Australia, and fairly variable in coloration, so has been given many names by various authors.[1] In Tasmania, this species is referred to by the "common name" of Christmas beetle, a name that is normally used for beetles in the family Scarabaeidae, genus Anoplognathus.[2] Females are smaller than the males, and males have the mandibles enlarged and prolonged forwards. The colour of the males is typically metallic golden green or golden yellow, while females may be blue, blue-green or also dull brown. These beetles are sapro-xylophagous, feeding only on dead wood, mainly Eucalyptus species (Myrtaceae) or Acacia.

Lamprima aurata
Adult male
Adult female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Lucanidae
Genus:
Lamprima
Species:
L. aurata
Binomial name
Lamprima aurata
Latreille, 1817
Synonyms

Lamprima cuprea Latreille, 1817
Lamprima latreillii Macleay, 1819
Lamprima pygmaea Macleay, 1819
Lamprima fulgida Boisduval, 1835
Lamprima micardi Reiche, 1841
Lamprima rutilans Erichson, 1842
Lamprima splendens Erichson, 1842
Lamprima viridis Erichson, 1842
Lamprima nigricollis Hope in Westwood, 1845
Lamprima purpurascens Hope in Westwood, 1845
Lamprima sumptuosa Hope in Westwood, 1845
Lamprima tasmaniae Hope in Westwood, 1845
Lamprima varians Burmeister, 1847
Lamprima cultridens Burmeister, 1847
Lamprima amplicollis Thomson, 1862
Lamprima krefftii Macleay, 1871
Lamprima violacea Macleay, 1885
Lamprima mandibularis Macleay, 1885
Lamprima sericea Macleay, 1885
Lamprima nigripennis Macleay, 1885
Lamprima minima Macleay, 1885 Lamprima mariae Lea, 1910
Lamprima coerulea Boileau, 1913
Lamprima insularis Boileau, 1913 (Homo.)

Of the five species in the genus Lamprima, only two occur on the Australian mainland; L. aurata and the closely related L. imberbis, which lives in northeastern New South Wales.[1]

  • Golden stag larva
  • Illustration of male by Des Helmore

References
  1. C.A.M. Reid, K. Smith, M. Beatson (2018) Revision of the Genus Lamprima Latreille, 1804 (Coleoptera: Lucanidae). Zootaxa. 4446(2); 151–202. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4446.2.1
  2. "Christmas Beetles" in Tasmania


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