Lamprima aurata
| Lamprima aurata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult male | |
 | |
| Adult female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Lucanidae |
| Genus: | Lamprima |
| Species: | L. aurata |
| Binomial name | |
| Lamprima aurata Latreille, 1817 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Lamprima cuprea Latreille, 1817 | |
The golden stag beetle (Lamprima aurata) is a species of beetles in the family Lucanidae. It measures between 15 and 25 mm in length and is relatively common throughout Australia, and fairly variable in coloration, so has been given many names by various authors[1]. Females are smaller than the males, and males have the mandibles enlarged and prolonged forwards. The colour of the males is typically metallic golden green or golden yellow, while females may be blue, blue-green or also dull brown. These beetles are sapro-xylophagous, feeding only on dead wood, mainly Eucalyptus species (Myrtaceae) or Acacia.
Of the five species in the genus Lamprima, only two occur on the Australian mainland; L. aurata and the closely related L. imberbis, which lives in northeastern New South Wales[1].
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