Description

Beetle, Cyclommatus metallifer, Metallic Stag Beetle specimen from Indonesia mounted in a Glass Dome.

This beetle has been mounted in a Glass Dome that is approximately  2 X 3 1/2 inches.  You will receive this specimen or one like it.

Cyclommatus metallifer is one of Indonesia’s most spectacular stag beetles, instantly recognizable by its glowing metallic coloration and famously elongated jaws. Native to forests on islands such as Lombok, Sulawesi, and Maluku, this species thrives in humid habitats rich in decaying wood—the essential food source for its larvae.

Its shimmering surface, often appearing golden-green, bronze, or polished silver, isn’t created by pigment. Instead, the beetle’s exoskeleton uses structural coloration, a microscopic layering that bends and reflects light—similar to what you see in peacock feathers or morpho butterflies. This makes Cyclommatus metallifer look as though it’s been carved from liquid metal.

Male beetles are especially impressive, sporting massive, antler-like mandibles that can exceed the length of their bodies in some forms. These jaws are used in ritualized combat with other males, where they attempt to lift or push rivals away from prime mating sites. Despite their fearsome appearance, these battles rarely cause injury and are more about strength and leverage.

Larvae live for months—sometimes years—inside fallen logs, slowly breaking down woody material and helping recycle nutrients in the forest. Adults, by contrast, live briefly but dramatically, glinting in beams of sunlight as they climb trunks or search for sap flows.

Beloved by collectors for its metallic sheen and exaggerated proportions, Cyclommatus metallifer stands as a perfect example of how evolution shapes both beauty and behavior in the insect world.

Beetle, Lamprima adolphinae, Iridescent green Stag beetle, mounted in a glass dome