Phalacrognathus muelleri

Australian superb stag beetle ( Phalacrognathus muelleri )

The Australian superb stag beetle ( Phalacrognathus muelleri ) is a species of the family of Schröter.

Australian superb stag beetles are up to seven inches long. The chitin armor shines very strong metallic and depending on the light either green or copper-colored. The body is elongated and stretched built very strong. In the males the mandibles are extended to an antler, which is slightly curved upwards and bifurcates at the end. The females carry instead short but powerful jaws. The antennae are short and thicken at the end of club-shaped. The front legs are covered with thorns.

The beetles come exclusively in a fairly small area in Queensland, which is why they are now very rare and strictly protected. They occur only in dense tropical rain forests, where they usually sit on trees, from whose sap they feed. Due to their beauty, but also because of their rarity, the dead beetles popular collectible items are still in spite of massive protective measures and prohibitions. The larvae live in the rotten trunks of various trees and feed on the wood. After a development time of about one year, the larvae pupate and after a further 2-3 months slip the beetles.