Fluted Cape Stag Beetle vs Gaboon Ebony Longhorn Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Fluted Cape Stag Beetle Gaboon Ebony Longhorn Beetle
Scientific Name Colophon primosi Ceroplesis militaris
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Lucanidae Cerambycidae
Size 18-28 mm 25-45 mm
Habitat Mountains Forests
Diet Omnivores Wood Feeders
Regions South Africa West and Central Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, DRC, Nigeria)
Conservation Endangered Least Concern

Fluted Cape Stag Beetle

A small, flightless, dark brown stag beetle restricted to a single mountain in the Cape region of South Africa. Males have short, broad mandibles with a single inner tooth. It is threatened by illegal collecting and climate change.

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Did You Know?

Illegal collecting of Colophon species for the lucrative insect trade has led to CITES protection for the entire genus.

Gaboon Ebony Longhorn Beetle

A large longhorn beetle with striking black and yellow banding on its elytra. Its antennae are longer than its body in males. Larvae bore into hardwood trees and can take several years to develop.

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Did You Know?

The larvae create audible tunneling sounds inside trees that can be heard by pressing an ear against the trunk.