Colophon primosi
Encyclopedia
Colophon primosi is one of 17 described species of beetle
in family Lucanidae, closely related to the Scarab family
. It is endemic to South Africa
.
Colophon beetles are also known as Barnard's stag beetles after Dr. Keppel Harcourt Barnard
(1887-1964) who pioneered studies of this genus while working at the South African Museum. Barnard's mountaineering interest first brought him into contact with the genus, and many species of the beetle were named after his mountaineering friends.
Indiscriminate collecting and habitat destruction, especially from fires as the beetles are flightless, are threatening the genus, so that it has been placed under the protection of nature conservation laws in South Africa, C. primosi being particularly endangered. Being flightless makes recolonisation of burnt areas more difficult for these beetles.
Little is known of their life cycle and habitat requirements, though this has not deterred Japanese and European collectors, and consequently the genus has been placed on CITES Appendix II, banning all trade, exchange or sale of the insects. TRAFFIC
has reported on insect trade fairs in Germany
where tens of thousands of specimens have been offered for sale, and has called for threatened butterfly and beetle species to be placed under EU Wildlife Trade protection.
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
in family Lucanidae, closely related to the Scarab family
Scarabaeidae
The family Scarabaeidae as currently defined consists of over 30,000 species of beetles worldwide. The species in this large family are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family is fairly unstable, with numerous competing theories, and new proposals appearing quite...
. It is endemic to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Colophon beetles are also known as Barnard's stag beetles after Dr. Keppel Harcourt Barnard
Keppel Harcourt Barnard
Keppel Harcourt Barnard , was a South African zoologist and museum director. He was the only son of Harcourt George Barnard M.A. , a solicitor from Lambeth, and Anne Elizabeth Porter of Royston....
(1887-1964) who pioneered studies of this genus while working at the South African Museum. Barnard's mountaineering interest first brought him into contact with the genus, and many species of the beetle were named after his mountaineering friends.
Indiscriminate collecting and habitat destruction, especially from fires as the beetles are flightless, are threatening the genus, so that it has been placed under the protection of nature conservation laws in South Africa, C. primosi being particularly endangered. Being flightless makes recolonisation of burnt areas more difficult for these beetles.
Little is known of their life cycle and habitat requirements, though this has not deterred Japanese and European collectors, and consequently the genus has been placed on CITES Appendix II, banning all trade, exchange or sale of the insects. TRAFFIC
Traffic (conservation programme)
TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, is an international organization dedicated to ensuring that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature....
has reported on insect trade fairs in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
where tens of thousands of specimens have been offered for sale, and has called for threatened butterfly and beetle species to be placed under EU Wildlife Trade protection.
Source
- Bellamy, C.L. & Endrody-Younga, S. 1996. Colophon primosi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 9 August 2007.