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Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle
IntermediateDorcus titanus okinawanus
A subspecies of Dorcus titanus from the Okinawa Islands, including Okinawa Island and Kumejima. An old subspecies described in 1922; wild males exceed 70 mm. Aggressive, so guard against males killing females in captivity.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
20〜26℃
Lifespan
Adults 1-3 years
Size
Males 45-76.3 mm (including captive; wild up to 71.5 mm) / females 25-35 mm
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Tree sap, beetle jelly
About
The Okinawa flat stag (Dorcus titanus okinawanus) is a subspecies of Dorcus titanus from 16 islands of the Okinawa group including Okinawa Island and Kumejima, described in 1922. Males measure 45-76.3 mm and females 25-35 mm; the BE-KUWA captive record is 76.3 mm (2020) and the wild record 71.5 mm. Ryukyu flat stags arose from populations that moved south and north with the ice ages and diverged island by island; this subspecies is the Okinawa-group population and belongs, in mitochondrial DNA, to a group south of the mainland form. Ecology matches other flat stags: it gathers at sap in evergreen broadleaf forest and is nocturnal, hiding in hollows and under logs. In southern subspecies males can be seen fighting over territory and females even by day. Females lay in the buried base of dead trees or under fallen logs; larvae take 1-2 years and adults live 1-3 years. At 20-26 C it breeds with logs and fermented substrate. It is very aggressive and males often kill females, so keep singly except for pairing. Release of other subspecies and foreign flat stags on Okinawa Island is a concern, so never release captive beetles.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle
The Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle lives Adults 1-3 years.
Size of the Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle
The Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle grows to Males 45-76.3 mm (including captive; wild up to 71.5 mm) / females 25-35 mm.
Temperature & humidity for the Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle
The ideal temperature for the Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle is 20〜26℃.
Basic Info
Origin
Care Specifications
AggressiveSolitaryBreeding: Easy
Sources: beetlebreeding.ch - The Breeding/Rearing of Dorcus titanus palawanicus by Kay (species-level guidance for D. titanus) / Dorcus titanus - Wikipedia (JA)
Breeding Records & Localities
Captive record (♂)
76.3 mm
Wild record (♂)
71.5 mm
Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition (Okinawa flat stag, captive 76.3 mm, 光田数一 2020 / wild 71.5 mm, 松島孝; projected maximum 81 mm)
Notable localities
Okinawa Island (Okinawa)Kumejima (Okinawa)
Regional subspecies
- Dorcus titanus okinawanus — Okinawa Islands (Okinawa Island, Kumejima and others, 16 islands)
Occurs across the Okinawa Islands; island populations are not split into further subspecies.
Generation codes
- WD
- Wild-caught
- WF1
- Offspring of a wild-caught female
- F1〜
- Captive generations (same locality)
- CBF1
- Cross-locality captive-bred (reset)
Sources: BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA) /
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.
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Dorcus titanus okinawanus (Kriesche, 1922)
Synonyms: Serrognathus titanus okinawanus
Authority databases: GBIF
Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listed
Sources: CITES Appendix (checklist.cites.org)
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
Okinawa Flat Stag Beetle Listings
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