Source: Wikimedia Commons
Cuvera Shining Stag Beetle
IntermediateOdontolabis cuvera
The type species of Odontolabis, black with a broad orange margin along the outer edge of the elytra. Males come in three mandible forms, making this one of the few stag beetles in which trimorphism has been described.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
20〜28℃
Lifespan
A few months as an adult
Size
Males 43-90mm, females 41-51mm (captive records: 77.6mm for the nominate form, 87.4mm for sinensis)
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Adults take fermented sap of broadleaf trees and beetle jelly; larvae eat humus close to soil
About
Odontolabis cuvera is the type species of its genus and ranges through Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. Including the mandibles, males run 43 to 90 mm and females 41 to 51 mm. The ground colour is black with a broad orange margin along the outer edge of the elytra, and the female shares that colouring but lacks the long mandibles. The specific name comes from Kubera, the mythical god of riches said to live in the Himalayas. Males carry three distinct mandible forms, understood as conditional reproductive strategies, and as of 2017 only two stag beetles had been described with this trimorphism, this species and Dorcus rectus. In the subspecies sinensis the elytra are almost wholly black with only a narrow orange border, and the beetle reaches about 80 mm. Females lay into leaf-litter substrate and rotten wood, and the larvae stay in the cave system they dig, feeding for several years on the rotting wood. The genus centres on island Southeast Asia, but this species spreads across the mainland.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Size of the Cuvera Shining Stag Beetle
The Cuvera Shining Stag Beetle grows to Males 43-90mm, females 41-51mm (captive records: 77.6mm for the nominate form, 87.4mm for sinensis).
Basic Info
Origin
Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam
Lifespan
A few months as an adult
Size
Males 43-90mm, females 41-51mm (captive records: 77.6mm for the nominate form, 87.4mm for sinensis)
Temperature
20〜28℃
Care Specifications
AggressiveSolitaryBreeding: Moderate
Sources: Odontolabis cuvera - Wikipedia (EN; size, colour, male trimorphism, subspecies and their ranges, life cycle) / Odontolabis - Wikipedia (JA; range, biology, the three mandible forms, humus-feeding larvae, per-species difficulty of egg-laying) / GBIF species page for Odontolabis cuvera Hope, 1842 / BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
Breeding Records & Localities
Captive record (♂)
77.6 mm
Wild record (♂)
80 mm
Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition, captive records for imported stag beetles (cuvera nominate: captive 77.6 mm, Kenji Inoue, registered 2024, wild 80.0 mm, expected maximum 84 mm; alticola captive 83.5 mm in 2025; sinensis captive 87.4 mm in 2017)
Notable localities
IndiaNepalBhutanChinaLaosThailandVietnamMyanmar
Regional subspecies
- Odontolabis cuvera cuvera（The nominate form of this entry） — Bhutan, India, Nepal
- Odontolabis cuvera fallaciosa（Traded as fallaciosa） — China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
- Odontolabis cuvera sinensis — China; elytra almost wholly black, reaching about 80mm
- Odontolabis cuvera gestroi — India, Myanmar
- Odontolabis cuvera alticola
References & Sources
Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team
The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.
Primary sources
- Wikipedia
- Ministry of the Environment, Invasive Species Act: "Guidance for Those Importing Live Insects in Scarabaeoidea"
- CITES Appendix (checklist.cites.org)
- Odontolabis - Wikipedia (JA; range, biology, the three mandible forms, humus-feeding larvae, per-species difficulty of egg-laying)
- GBIF species page for Odontolabis cuvera Hope, 1842
- BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
- GBIF subspecies page for Odontolabis cuvera fallaciosa
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Odontolabis cuvera Hope, 1842
Synonyms: Odontolabis cuvera cuvera, Odontolabis cuvera fallaciosa, Odontolabis cuvera sinensis
Authority databases: GBIF
Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listed
Plant Protection Act: When importing live specimens of Scarabaeoidea (including rhinoceros beetles, stag beetles, flower beetles, etc.), a species identification certificate issued by the exporting country government agency or equivalent must be attached in accordance with the Invasive Species Act (import ports are limited to Narita, Chubu, Kansai, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima airports). This species itself is not a designated invasive species, and import is possible upon submission of the certificate.
Sources: Ministry of the Environment, Invasive Species Act: "Guidance for Those Importing Live Insects in Scarabaeoidea" / CITES Appendix (checklist.cites.org)
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
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