Indian Stag Beetle vs Gazelle Scarab

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Indian Stag Beetle Gazelle Scarab
Scientific Name Lucanus lunifer Onthophagus gazella
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Lucanidae Scarabaeidae
Size 40-75 mm (males including mandibles) 8-13 mm
Habitat Forests Farmland
Diet Wood Feeders Dung Feeders
Regions South Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Himalayan region) Africa, Australia, North America, South America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Indian Stag Beetle

A large, dark brown stag beetle with impressive curved mandibles in males that resemble deer antlers. It is found in montane forests of the Himalayas and is attracted to fermenting tree sap.

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Did You Know?

Males use their enlarged mandibles in ritualized combat, attempting to flip rivals off tree branches to win access to sap flows and mates.

Gazelle Scarab

A small dung beetle originally from Africa, now established across multiple continents. It is one of the most widely introduced biological control agents for dung removal.

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Did You Know?

It was deliberately introduced to Australia in the 1960s to combat the bush fly problem caused by accumulating cattle dung.