Source: Wikimedia Commons
Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle
AdvancedCyclommatus imperator
A large Cyclommatus from New Guinea, the third largest in its genus and said to be the biggest stag beetle on the island. Its mandibles are thick enough to justify the name emperor, and its colour varies through red, purple, blue, green and copper.
Difficulty
Advanced
Temperature
18〜23℃
Lifespan
Adults 6 months to 1 year
Size
Males 28-94 mm (wild record 94.0 mm, captive record 83.2 mm) / females 20-30 mm
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Beetle jelly (in the wild it gathers at the flowers of herbaceous plants)
About
The imperator long-jawed stag (Cyclommatus imperator) comes from Papua New Guinea and Indonesian New Guinea around Wamena, and is the third largest in its genus and reputedly the biggest stag beetle on New Guinea. Males measure 28-94 mm and females 20-30 mm. Its mandibles are thick, as the specific name emperor suggests, and its colour ranges through red, purple, black, blue, green and copper. It is a montane species that dislikes heat: keep it at 18-23 C, with up to 20 C ideal for both adults and larvae. It lays in a firmly packed substrate-only set, which need not be packed as hard as for a flat stag; bury fragments of wood as footholds and it will lay around them. Around 18-20 C is ideal for egg-laying. Rear larvae on fermented substrate at 18 C; males emerge after 8-14 months and females after 5-8. Males and females almost always emerge out of step, so keep at least two lines if breeding it every year.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle
The Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle lives Adults 6 months to 1 year.
Size of the Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle
The Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle grows to Males 28-94 mm (wild record 94.0 mm, captive record 83.2 mm) / females 20-30 mm.
Temperature & humidity for the Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle
The ideal temperature for the Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle is 18〜23℃.
Basic Info
Origin
Papua New Guinea and Indonesian New Guinea (around Wamena in Irian Jaya)
Care Specifications
Semi-aggressiveSolitaryBreeding: Hard
Sources: stag&rhino - How to keep Cyclommatus imperator (locality, temperature, size, lifespan, egg-laying set, larval period) / BEETLE SCHOOL - Rearing Cyclommatus (difficulty table, larval period, adult lifespan) / Cyclommatus - Wikipedia (JA; species list, ranges and genus biology)
Breeding Records & Localities
Captive record (♂)
83.2 mm
Wild record (♂)
94 mm
Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition (Imperator, captive 83.2 mm, 黒田功 2019 / wild 94.0 mm; projected maximum 98 mm. Smallest record 36.3 mm, 瀬田真広 2022; literature minimum 30.0 mm)
Notable localities
Around Wamena, Irian Jaya (Indonesian New Guinea)Papua New Guinea
Regional subspecies
- Cyclommatus imperator imperator — Eastern New Guinea (nominate subspecies)
- Cyclommatus imperator monguilloni — Irian Jaya; the GBIF backbone treats this as the separate species Cyclommatus monguilloni
- Cyclommatus imperator arfakensis — The Arfak Mountains
- Cyclommatus imperator splendidus — Timika
The captive record of 83.2 mm falls more than 10 mm short of the 94.0 mm wild record, and the species is regarded as hard to grow large in captivity.
Generation codes
- WD
- Wild-caught
- WF1
- Offspring of a wild-caught female
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)
- stag&rhino - How to keep Cyclommatus imperator (locality, temperature, size, lifespan, egg-laying set, larval period)
- BEETLE SCHOOL - Rearing Cyclommatus (difficulty table, larval period, adult lifespan)
- BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
- GBIF
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Cyclommatus imperator Boileau, 1905
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.
Imperator Long-jawed Stag Beetle Listings
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