Lucanus fortunei, Saunders, 1854

Zhan, Zhihong & Young, Daniel K., 2023, A taxonomic assessment and redefinition of the Lucanus fortunei species group in China (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae), Zoological Systematics 48 (4), pp. 279-360 : 285-286

3.2 Lucanus fortunei species group, sensu stricto and sensu novum

Description. Male: 1) ratio of mandibular length and length of head and pronotum 1.0–1.2; 2) shape of major inner mandibular tooth usually triangular, slender, or pentagonal; 3)>3 small inner mandibular teeth (denticles) arise above and below major inner mandibular tooth; 4) clypeolabrum weakly developed, protruding at middle, triangular apically; 5) lateral cranial ridges strongly incurved, well rounded at base of head capsule; 6) mesothoracic tibiae with <4 spines, usually two spines; 7) elytral color uniform, slightly darker along suture, covered with yellowish, short setae; 8) basal piece of aedeagus slender, 0.85–1.0 × width of lateral lobes. Female: 1) apical mandibular teeth strongly incurved, apices weakly acute or obtusely angulate; 2) right inner mandibular tooth with inner ridge broad and flat, with anterior tip but slightly inferior to apex of mandible, forming a gap behind mandibular apex, asymmetrical to left inner mandibular tooth; 3) pronotum rounded, apex narrow, not protruding, posterolateral pronotal angles enlarged, wider than anterior pronotal margin; 4) prothoracic tibiae strongly enlarged, each with 1st and 2nd spines significantly larger than 3rd and 4th; 5) preocular and postocular margins weakly developed, not forming acute angle or protruding apically.

Body length 48.5–56.9 mm (major ♂), 35.2–48.4 mm (median ♂), <35.1 mm (minor ♂); 15.6–28.4 mm (♀).

Distribution. Distributed largely in Eastcentral, Southeast and Southwest regions of China, including Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan Provinces.

Natural History. Adults. Adults of this species group are active from early May to the late July. Males tend to fly during the daytime, finding suitable host plants, feeding, and mating with females. The altitude range for species in this group is around 500–1100 m. Adults orient to light and can be attracted at light traps. The lifespan for adults in this species group is 2–6 weeks. Larvae. There is little known of the larval stages for species in this group. Females usually created “tunnels” within humus, dragging leaves into these tunnels and forming dumpling-like spheres. to the extent known, larvae of species in the Lucanus fortunei group appear to undergo three instars within 12–15 months. Only three species, L. fortunei , L. swinhoei , and L. kirchneri have rearing records. However, these records were created by stag beetles’ ameaturs.

Key for Lucanus fortunei species group (♂).

1. Mandibles strongly incurved along the midlength; apical fork developed anteriorly; head margins well rounded..............................2

Mandibles weakly incurved or straight along the midlength, apical fork weakly developed; head margins weakly rounded or subparallel ............................................................................................................................................................................................3 2. Major mandibular tooth weakly developed, located along distal region of mandible, <5 small inner mandibular teeth located only above major mandibular tooth.......................................................................................................................................... L. fujianensis

Major mandibular tooth strongly developed, always located along midlength of mandible,>5 small inner mandibular teeth located above major mandibular tooth............................................................................................................................................. L. swinhoei 3. Elytra concolorous with head and pronotum, surfaceas of head and pronotum smooth....................................................................... 4

Elytral color significantly brighter than that of head and pronotum, surface of head and pronotum setose ......................... L. delavayi 4. Lateral margins of head subparallel to those of pronotum, mandibles subequal in length of the to that of head..................................5

Lateral margins of head significantly wider than pronotum, mandibles longer or nearly subequal in length to that of head...............7 5. Body black, major mandibular tooth absent................................................................................................................... L. chengyuani

Body brownish to reddish, major mandibular tooth single pointed along base of each mandible ........................................................6 6. Prothoracic tibiae strongly developed, known from Sichuan .................................................................................................... L. moae

Prothoracic tibiae thin, occuring in Taiwan...................................................................................................................... L. datunensis 7. Major mandibular tooth single-pointed, sometimes double-pointed .................................................................................. L. kirchneri

Major mandibular tooth triangular or pentagonal.................................................................................................................................8 8. Major mandibular tooth pentagonal ................................................................................................................................ L. klapperichi

Major mandibular tooth triangular ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 9. Major mandibular tooth directed anteriorly; thoracic tibiae reddish to brownish................................................................. L. fortunei

Major mandibular tooth weakly pointed anteriorly, prothoracic tibiae yellowish or with yellowish stripes ...................................... 10 10. Body covered with vestiture of yellowish setae, mandibles less incurved anteriorly......................................................................... 11

Body surface smooth or covered with vestiture of scarsely visible, short setae, mandibles incurved anteriorly........ L. wuyishanensis 11. Apical forks strongly developed; lateral margins of head subparallel to pronotum .................................................... L. derani derani

Apical forks weekly developed; lateral margins of head rounded........................................................................ L. derani fukinukiae

Key for Lucanus fortunei species group (♀).

1. Body surface densely setose................................................................................................................................................................. 2

Body surface smooth to moderately setose, head and pronotum punctate ...........................................................................................4 2. Elytra concolorous with head and pronotum, mandibular apices strongly incurved ............................................................................3

Elytra with yellowish stripes distally, mandibular apices weakly incurved.......................................................................... L. delavayi 3. Body usually brownish, distal prothoracic tibial spines well developed ..................................................................... L. derani derani

Body usually yellowish, distal prothoracic tibial spines weakly developed......................................................... L. derani fukinukiae 4. Body relatively stout, mandibles obtuse anteriorly ................................................................................................................... L. moae

Body relatively slender, mandibles acute anteriorly............................................................................................................................. 5 5. Prothoracic tibiae weakly incurved distally .........................................................................................................................................6

Prothoracic tibiae strongly incurved distally........................................................................................................................................8 6. Distal width of prothoracic tibiae 1.3-1.4× width of mesothoracic and metathoracic tibiae ...................................... L. wuyishanensis

Distal width of prothoracic tibiae subequal in width to those of mesothoracic and metathoracic tibiae ..............................................7 7. Body black, posterolateral aspects of pronotum relatively flat......................................................................................... L. fujianensis

Body reddish to brownish, posterolateral pronotum well rounded...................................................................................... L. swinhoei 8. Pronotum well rounded, body surface somewhat setose ......................................................................................................................9

Pronotum shape relatively flat, body surface smooth........................................................................................................... L. fortunei 9. Posterolateral pronotum convex, prothoracic tibiae strongly enlarged distally ............................................................... L. klapperichi

Posterolateral pronotum weakly convex, prothoracic tibiae poorly enlarged distally ........................................................ L. kirchneri