The Stag Beetle (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) Assemblages of Sarawak Based on Museum Collections

• Main Author: Nur Nabihah, Binti Shaharudin
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English; English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) 2017
• Subjects: Q Science (General); QL Zoology
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/27807/1/The%20stag%20beetle%20%28Coleoptera%20Lucanidae%29%20assemblages%20of%20Sarawak%20Based%20on...%2824pgs%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/27807/5/Nur%20Nabihah.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/27807/

Fundamental knowledge on most insect taxa of Borneo are still very much lacking despite challenges faced because of the degradation of their natural habitats, the rainforest. Compiling data on the assemblages ofstag beetles in Sarawak is important for conservation efforts, as collecting information on the biodiversity of a region must be carried out to initiate an effective conserva~on plan. This study examined the stag beetle (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) assemblages of Sarawak as well as providing an annotated checklist based on specimens deposited at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Insect Reference Collections and Forest Research Centre, Kuching. Each specimen was examined based on morphological characteristics. A total of 658 specimens representing one subfamily, five tribes, 15 genera and 38 species were studied. The most common species of stag beetle in Sarawak is Prosopocoilus occipitalis with a wide range of localities and the three extremely rare species are Neolucanus munijac Gestro, 1881, Aegus krieschei Nagel, 1928 and Aegus rungusiorum Ikeda, 2000. An annotated checklist for each species is presented. This study shows that base-line information on insects such as the stag beetle species assemblages could be retrieval from museum systematics collections.