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Trypoxylus dichotomus takarai
A subspecies endemic to the Okinawa Islands, smaller than the mainland form and with shorter male horns. The male's elytra are strongly glossy and the female is covered in short yellowish-grey hairs. It avoids the lowlands and lives in well-preserved natural forest.
Trypoxylus dichotomus takarai is endemic to the Okinawa Islands, occurring on Okinawa Island, Iheyajima, Sesokojima, Iejima and Kourijima. The Japanese Wikipedia gives males as 30.3-50.1 mm excluding the head horn, and Nagai's measurements of Okinawa Island females as 35.2-47.6 mm, making the subspecies smaller than the mainland form with shorter male horns. The body is black to very dark brown, the male's elytra strongly glossy and the female clothed in short yellowish-grey hairs. The shape of the male genitalia is closer to the Taiwanese subspecies than to the mainland one. Unlike the mainland form it is absent from the lowlands, living in well-preserved natural forest on low hills in the north and centre of Okinawa Island, where it gathers at the sap of Castanopsis, Mallotus, Machilus, citrus, shikuwasa and Chinese ash. It is listed as data deficient by the Ministry of the Environment and as near threatened on the Okinawa red list.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Okinawa Rhinoceros Beetle lives 1-3 months as an adult.
The Okinawa Rhinoceros Beetle grows to Males 30.3-50.1mm (excluding the head horn), females 35.2-47.6mm.
Origin
Japan (Okinawa Island, Iheyajima, Sesokojima, Iejima and Kourijima)
Lifespan
1-3 months as an adult
Size
Males 30.3-50.1mm (excluding the head horn), females 35.2-47.6mm
Wild record (♂)
69.5 mm
Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition, large-size rhinoceros beetle records (Okinawa: wild 69.5 mm, Satoshi Uechi, 2020; dream maximum 76 mm)
Notable localities
Regional subspecies
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.
Accepted name: Trypoxylus dichotomus takarai (Kusui, 1976)
Synonyms: Allomyrina dichotoma takarai
Authority databases: GBIF
Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.
Sources: CITES Appendix (checklist.cites.org)
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
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Temperature
20〜28℃
Humidity
60〜80%
Adults take sap of Castanopsis, Machilus, Mallotus and shikuwasa, plus beetle jelly; larvae feed on leaf mould
No published figures for rearing temperature or humidity could be found for this subspecies, so none are given. It lives in subtropical natural forest, and as with the mainland form the substrate should never be allowed to freeze solid. Kept warm all winter, however, the beetles mature early and eclose out of season.
Breeding is done in an egg-laying set of packed fermented substrate. In Okinawa the forest floor decomposes so fast that little humus layer forms, so in the wild the larvae live in pockets of humus in tree hollows and the like. They eat leaf mould and will not touch living wood or leaves that have not begun to break down.
Males fight hard with their horns, so keep adults apart. Above all, do not house or cross this subspecies with the mainland form: mainland beetles brought to Okinawa for keeping have escaped and established themselves, and hybridisation with the endemic subspecies is a recognised concern.
Adults appear from May to June, or from June to September. For about two weeks after eclosion they stay underground without feeding before coming to the surface. Adults live one to three months, a span that depends heavily on temperature and how much food is available.
Hybrids with the mainland form are intermediate in most measurements but carry longer head horns than pure Okinawa beetles. Because the Okinawa subspecies is the weaker fighter, an increase in mainland beetles is expected to push it off sap sites and reduce its numbers. Do not release captive stock into the wild. Habitat is also being lost to farmland, dams and golf courses.
Intermediate. This is an intermediate-level species. Some prior experience and knowledge of environmental management are recommended.
The average lifespan of Okinawa Rhinoceros Beetle is 1-3 months as an adult. With proper care and nutrition, they can live a long and healthy life.
Okinawa Rhinoceros Beetle typically reaches Males 30.3-50.1mm (excluding the head horn), females 35.2-47.6mm as an adult. Size may vary depending on care conditions and individual genetics.
Okinawa Rhinoceros Beetle feeds on: Adults take sap of Castanopsis, Machilus, Mallotus and shikuwasa, plus beetle jelly; larvae feed on leaf mould. Aim for a balanced diet with appropriate feeding frequency.
The price of Okinawa Rhinoceros Beetle varies significantly depending on bloodline, size, captive-bred generation, and sex. Check our market price page for the latest pricing information.
Last updated: September 16, 2026
What BE-KUWA lists for this subspecies is a wild record; no captive record is registered. The figure is total length including the head horn.
Generation codes