anybody know what kind of beetle this is?

[zaroba]

i just got back from the park a little while ago. as i was walking threw the park, i kept hearing rustling noises all around me in the ground. the few times i stopped to try and pinpoint what was making the noise, i mostly just saw daddy-long legs scerrying accross the leaf litter. then, after stopping a few more times, i decided to sit and listen to the noises and see what else might be making the noise. i saw this black thing crawl accross the leaves 5ft in front of me so i went off the trail to see what it was.

it turned out to be this inch and a half long beetle:

diden't have a container with me (one of the few times i don't bring one :P) so i had to pick it up around its neck to carry it back to my car. the thing was squeeking the whole walk back. i'll try and get some better pics after work tomarrow (that is if it holds still long enough :P)

now i'm wondering what it is. i know its not a stag beetle due to the streight antennae.

[Tindomul1of9]

Cool!!!! Keep us posted. Sorry, I never took Entomology.

[zaroba]

heres some more pics:

[Tindomul1of9]

Wow!!

[Marty]

That's a stag beetle, just not sure which one

[Rainfrog]

If I had to wager on it id say it was an Oregon Stag Beetle, But then again it could be a female from another subgroup (huge family of beetles)(and ours (male or female) look like the girls form some other species). Who knows new species of Stag Beetles are being defined all the time, you could have a new class of beetle. That would be cool!

[Marty]

TO be absolutely sure you'd have to get identification keys from a local coleopterist. You could then key out the species, by size and shape of pronotum, elytra, mandibles, antenae, etc. Of course, if you found a local coleopterist, you probably wouldn't need to key it out

[crystalstone]

DEar Friend,
I see this beetle as Stag Beetle from the mesopotamus family. Please check on these species to verify exactly which one.
Thanks

[xm41907]

That is a female stag beetle. Stag beetles are from the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, family Lucanidae. Males have larger mandibles than females. I am not sure which genus this is at the moment. would have to find my Coleopteran keys. If I have time I'll try to locate them. Keep in mind that identification by picture can sometimes be impossible. when it comes to ID to genus and or species, sometimes it is a very small detail that seperates two lineages.

crystalstone, what on Earth are you referring to:
"I see this beetle as Stag Beetle from the mesopotamus family. Please check on these species to verify exactly which one."

Rainfrog, I don't believe it is an Oregon Stag Beetle, as they have reticulated indentions more in rows going down the elytra and also have a bluish tint. What do you mean:

"But then again it could be a female from another subgroup (huge family of beetles)(and ours (male or female) look like the girls form some other species). Who knows new species of Stag Beetles are being defined all the time, you could have a new class of beetle."

In general, males have much longer mandibles, but I highly doubt that males of one species look like females of another. and a new class of beetle?????

Insecta is the class, below that is the beetle order (Coleoptera), then super family Scarabaeoidea, then family Lucanidae. There could be a new tribe, genus, or species discovered, however, this doesn't happen "all the time".

I know, I'm a stickler about correct scientific terminology. Just want everyone to have correct information!!!

Best Regards,
James

James

[alex1976]

Thanks for the cool info! I wondered what kind of beetles those are... We have those around my parts too and they can get pretty big.