Comparison of Colophon male and female morphology

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Holometabola > Coleoptera (beetles) > Polyphaga > Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea > Family: Lucanidae > Subfamily: Lucaninae > Genus: Colophon

The differences between the species are more evident in the males. Females of the various species look very similar and although there are physical differences in size, proportions, leg structures and head shape, the females of the species cannot be as easily differentiated as the males. The diagnostic characters of the males are the genitalia, mandibles (jaws), front tibia (foreleg) and mentum (part of the mouthparts). The male mandibles are greatly enlarged while the females’ are small and non-diagnostic. It is thought that the males use the mandibles for combat in rivalry for females where they flip their rivals onto their backs.  

Male, Colophon westwoodi. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]	Female, Colophon westwoodi. I[image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]
Male, Colophon haughtoni. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]	Female, Colophon haughtoni.  [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]
Male, Colophon kawaii. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]	Female, Colophon kawaii. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]
Male, Colophon primosi. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]	Female, Colophon primosi. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]
Male, Colophon westwoodi. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]	Female, Colophon westwoodi. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]
Male, Colophon whitei. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]	Female, Colophon whitei. [image M. Cochrane, Iziko © ]

Images and text by Margie Cochrane