Source: Wikimedia Commons
Spectabilis shining stag beetle
AdvancedOdontolabis spectabilis
A Sumatran shining stag beetle very like the yellow-winged O. lacordairei, told apart by its inconspicuous yellow markings underneath. It is regarded as difficult to keep.
Difficulty
Advanced
Temperature
20〜28℃
Lifespan
Adults a few months (genus accounts); 1-2 years from hatching to pupation
Size
Captive records 81.4mm (male) and 48.2mm (female); wild record 83.0mm (male)
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Adults take sap or beetle jelly; larvae eat well-decayed wood and nitrogen-rich substrate
About
Odontolabis spectabilis Boileau, 1902 is a shining stag beetle of Sumatra. Japanese sources place it in western Sumatra, while GBIF records come from North Sumatra, Aceh, South Sumatra and elsewhere. The similar O. lacordairei has wing cases yellow except along the suture, a broad inverted-triangle of yellow on the head and yellow markings underneath; this species is distinguished by its inconspicuous yellow underside. Together with O. yasuokai of southern Sumatra, the three are said to lie on a single geographic continuum. Adult Odontolabis visit fermenting sap and live a few months; larvae live in well-decayed hardwood and take one to two years from hatching to pupation, and both stages are cold-sensitive. This species is considered difficult to keep. The BE-KUWA 2025 edition gives male records of 81.4mm captive and 83.0mm wild and a female captive record of 48.2mm. Specialist shops in Japan handle it, though not often.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Spectabilis shining stag beetle
The Spectabilis shining stag beetle lives Adults a few months (genus accounts); 1-2 years from hatching to pupation.
Size of the Spectabilis shining stag beetle
The Spectabilis shining stag beetle grows to Captive records 81.4mm (male) and 48.2mm (female); wild record 83.0mm (male).
Basic Info
Origin
Sumatra, Indonesia
Lifespan
Adults a few months (genus accounts); 1-2 years from hatching to pupation
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
- Plant Protection Station: Importing Scarabaeoidea (JA)
- Plant Protection Station: Importing live insects (JA)
- Ministry of the Environment: List of invasive alien species (JA)
- Species+ CITES query (no listing)
- BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
- GBIF: Odontolabis spectabilis Boileau, 1902 ／地域別の記録
Taxonomy & Authority
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listed
Many live foreign Scarabaeoidea (stag beetles, rhinoceros beetles, flower chafers and relatives) are quarantine pests whose import is banned under Japan's Plant Protection Act, and even importable species require a species-name certificate from a foreign government body under the Invasive Alien Species Act (entry only via designated airports, never by international post). Whether a species may enter must be checked with the Plant Protection Station in advance, so choose domestically bred stock and never release captive beetles.
Sources: Plant Protection Station: Importing Scarabaeoidea (JA) / Plant Protection Station: Importing live insects (JA) / Ministry of the Environment: List of invasive alien species (JA) / Species+ CITES query (no listing)
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
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