Source: Wikimedia Commons
Stevens' Shining Stag Beetle
IntermediateOdontolabis stevensi
An Odontolabis centred on Sulawesi. The male's mandibles split sideways at the base and then run straight, without inner teeth. The margins of the elytra are washed with yellow, and several subspecies have been described.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
20〜28℃
Lifespan
A few months as an adult
Size
Captive records 84.4mm for the nominate form and 86.0mm for Sangihe stock (wild records 93.0mm and 90.3mm)
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Adults take fermented sap of broadleaf trees and beetle jelly; larvae eat humus close to soil
About
Odontolabis stevensi is an Odontolabis centred on Sulawesi whose males have mandibles that split sideways at the base and then run straight, with no inner teeth, and whose elytra are edged in yellow. Besides the nominate form on Sulawesi, the subspecies limbata from the centre of the island, yasusukei from the southwest, mamaesaensis from the south and duivenbodei from the Sangihe islands are recognised, the last with red across the middle of the back. As throughout the genus the male's mandibles fall into short, intermediate and long-toothed forms, and which one appears may depend not only on nutrition during growth but on the ambient temperature during the prepupal stage. The larvae live in humus close to soil, hollowing out a jar-shaped chamber that they hold as territory and defend against insects of their own and other species. The captive records stand at 84.4 mm for the nominate form and 86.0 mm for Sangihe stock.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Size of the Stevens' Shining Stag Beetle
The Stevens' Shining Stag Beetle grows to Captive records 84.4mm for the nominate form and 86.0mm for Sangihe stock (wild records 93.0mm and 90.3mm).
Basic Info
Origin
Indonesia (Sulawesi and nearby islands; the subspecies duivenbodei on the Sangihe islands)
Lifespan
A few months as an adult
Size
Captive records 84.4mm for the nominate form and 86.0mm for Sangihe stock (wild records 93.0mm and 90.3mm)
Temperature
20〜28℃
Care Specifications
AggressiveSolitaryBreeding: Moderate
Sources: Odontolabis - Wikipedia (JA; range, biology, the three mandible forms, humus-feeding larvae, per-species difficulty of egg-laying) / Odontolabis - Wikipedia (EN; genus description and per-species distributions) / GBIF species page for Odontolabis stevensi Thomson, 1862 / BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
Breeding Records & Localities
Captive record (♂)
84.4 mm
Wild record (♂)
93 mm
Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition, captive records for imported stag beetles (stevensi nominate: captive 84.4 mm, Kohei Abe, registered 2017, wild 93.0 mm, expected maximum 98 mm; Sangihe stock: captive 86.0 mm, Tetsuya Iwai, registered 2022, wild 90.3 mm, expected maximum 98 mm)
Notable localities
SulawesiSangihe islands
Regional subspecies
- Odontolabis stevensi stevensi（The nominate form of this entry） — Sulawesi
- Odontolabis stevensi limbata — Central Sulawesi
- Odontolabis stevensi yasusukei — Southwestern Sulawesi
- Odontolabis stevensi mamaesaensis — Southern Sulawesi
- Odontolabis stevensi duivenbodei — Sangihe islands; red across the middle of the back
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)
- Odontolabis - Wikipedia (EN; genus description and per-species distributions)
- GBIF species page for Odontolabis stevensi Thomson, 1862
- BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Odontolabis stevensi Thomson, 1862
Synonyms: Odontolabis stevensi stevensi, Odontolabis stevensi limbata, Odontolabis stevensi duivenbodei
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.
Stevens' Shining Stag Beetle Listings
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