Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 6, 2026

Lucanus elaphus

Lucanus elaphus, the giant stag beetle, elk stag beetle, or erroneously as the elephant stag beetle, is a beetle of the family Lucanidae native to eastern North America. They are sometimes kept as pets.

Last revised
Aug 6, 2026
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Lucanus elaphus
Adult male Lucanus elaphus
Apparently Secure
Apparently Secure (NatureServe)1
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Scarabaeiformia
Family: Lucanidae
Genus: Lucanus
Species:
L. elaphus
Binomial name
Lucanus elaphus
Fabricius, 1775

Lucanus elaphus, the giant stag beetle,1 elk stag beetle, or erroneously as the elephant stag beetle,2 is a beetle of the family Lucanidae native to eastern North America.34 They are sometimes kept as pets.

Etymology

Elaphus in Greek means "deer".5 Compare with the Red Deer or elk (Cervus elaphus), 'cervus' meaning 'deer' in Latin.

  • Differences in size of Lucanus elaphus
    Differences in size of Lucanus elaphus
  • Adult female Lucanus elaphus, 29 millimeters long
    Adult female Lucanus elaphus, 29 millimeters long
  • Adult male Lucanus elaphus
    Adult male Lucanus elaphus
  • Mandibles of male Lucanus elaphus
    Mandibles of male Lucanus elaphus
  • Adult female Lucanus elaphus, 29 millimeters long
    Adult female Lucanus elaphus, 29 millimeters long
  • Underside of adult female
    Underside of adult female
References

References

  1. NatureServe (4 August 2023). "Lucanus elaphus". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  2. Milne, Lorus; Milne, Margery (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders. Visual key by Susan Rayfield. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 552. ISBN 0-394-50763-0.
  3. "Lucanus elaphus". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  4. Staines, C. L. (2001). "Distribution of Lucanus elaphus Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in North America". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 55 (4): 397–404. doi:10.1649/0010-065X(2001)055[0397:DOLELC]2.0.CO;2.
  5. LSJ.