Dorcus hopei
Dorcus hopei is a species of beetle in the family Lucanidae (stag beetles), sometimes kept as a pet.
Dorcus hopei | |
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Male | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Lucanidae |
Genus: | Dorcus |
Species: | D. hopei |
Binomial name | |
Dorcus hopei Saunders, 1854 | |
Description
Jet-black in colour, male beetles may reach 80 mm (3.1 inches) long, although females can be up to 48 mm (1.8 inches). Males use their large mandibles to fight with other males for food and mates. Females have smaller mandibles and are used to break down wood when laying their eggs.[1]
Distribution
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D. hopei inhabits Vietnam, Thailand, India, Laos, Nepal, Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan.[2][3][1] The winter season in these countries prompts the larvae to synthesize 6 types of antifreeze proteins, as it overwinters underground. This species is the first beetle outside of the Tenebrionoidea superfamily known to produce antifreeze proteins.[4]
Diet
Like other stag beetles, this species consumes the liquid of fruits, such as apples.[1]
References
- Brown. "Dorcus Hopei". Brown's Beetles. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- "Dorcus curvidens hopei". Ben's Beetle Breeding Pages. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- "Dorcus hopei formosanus Miwa, 1929". GBIF. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- Arai, Tatsuya; Yamauchi, Akari; Miura, Ai; Kondo, Hidemasa; Nishimiya, Yoshiyuki; Sasaki, Yuji C.; Tsuda, Sakae (31 March 2021). "Discovery of Hyperactive Antifreeze Protein from Phylogenetically Distant Beetles Questions Its Evolutionary Origin". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22 (7): 3637. doi:10.3390/ijms22073637. PMC 8038014.