Source: Wikimedia Commons
Tarandus Giant Shining Stag Beetle
IntermediateMesotopus tarandus
Africa's largest stag beetle and the sole member of its genus. Its hallmark is a gloss often likened to lacquer, on a broad, heavy body, and the mandibles grip with great force.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
20〜28℃
Lifespan
A few months as an adult
Size
Males 46-92mm, females 36-56mm (captive record 98.0mm, wild record 93.0mm)
Humidity
60〜80%
Diet
Adults take tree sap and beetle jelly; larvae are reared in Coriolus mycelium bottles
About
Mesotopus tarandus lives in the rainforests from western Africa across to the Congo and is the sole member of its genus. At 46 to 92 mm in males and 36 to 56 mm in females it is the largest stag beetle in Africa, broad-bodied and heavy. The mandibles bend into a shallow V and are solidly built, and their grip is said to exceed that of a large Dorcus titanus. Its hallmark is a strong gloss often likened to lacquer, carried on the underside and on the female as well. The name and the sheen sometimes lead people to take it for an Odontolabis of Southeast Asia, but it belongs to a different lineage. In the male the clypeal region between the mandibles rises in a thick fork, and where that structure points downwards in other stag beetles it points upwards here. Every leg carries two to four sharp spines, a form shared with Lucanus and Chiasognathus. It is not as ready to fight as Dorcus titanus or Hexarthrius, but once a fight starts it presses hard.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Size of the Tarandus Giant Shining Stag Beetle
The Tarandus Giant Shining Stag Beetle grows to Males 46-92mm, females 36-56mm (captive record 98.0mm, wild record 93.0mm).
Basic Info
Origin
The rainforests of western Africa and the Congo
Lifespan
A few months as an adult
Size
Males 46-92mm, females 36-56mm (captive record 98.0mm, wild record 93.0mm)
Temperature
20〜28℃
Care Specifications
AggressiveSolitaryBreeding: Moderate
Sources: Mesotopus tarandus - Wikipedia (JA; range, size, morphology, biology, relationship to regius, rearing on Coriolus mycelium) / GBIF species page for Mesotopus tarandus (Swederus, 1787) / BE-KUWA Certified Breeding Records (Mushi-sha, FY2025 edition PDF, JA)
Breeding Records & Localities
Captive record (♂)
98 mm
Wild record (♂)
93 mm
Record source: BE-KUWA 2025 edition, captive records for imported stag beetles (tarandus: captive 98.0 mm, Naohiro Hoshi, registered 2025; wild 93.0 mm; expected maximum 102 mm)
Notable localities
Western AfricaCongoGabonCameroon
Mesotopus regius is commonly folded into this species as a synonym or subspecies, leaving the genus with a single species.
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: Mesotopus tarandus (Swederus, 1787)
Synonyms: Mesotopus regius
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.
Tarandus Giant Shining Stag Beetle Listings
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