Monitoring global biodiversity is essential for understanding and countering its current loss. However, monitoring of many species is hindered by their difficult detection due to crepuscular activity, hidden phases of the life cycle, short activity period and low population density. Few statistical power analyses of declining trends have been published for terrestrial invertebrates. Consequently, no knowledge exists of the success rate of monitoring elusive invertebrates. Here data from monitoring transects of the European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is used to investigate whether the population trend of this elusive species can be adequately monitored. Data from studies in UK, Switzerland and Germany were compiled to parameterize a simulation model explaining the stag beetle abundance as a function of temperature and seasonality. A Monte-Carlo simulation was used to evaluate the effort needed to detect a population abundance decline of 1%/year over a period of 12 years. To reveal such a decline, at least 240 1-hour transect walks on 40 to 100 transects need to be implemented in weekly intervals during warm evenings. It is concluded that monitoring of stag beetles is feasible and the effort is not greater than that which has been found for other invertebrates. Based on this example, it is assumed that many other elusive species with similar life history traits can be monitored with moderate efforts. As saproxylic invertebrates account for a large share of the forest biodiversity, although many are elusive, it is proposed that at least some flagship species are included in monitoring programmes.

An updated checklist of the Lucanidae (Coleoptera) from Iran is given. New locality records are listed and some dubious distributional records are discussed. Dorcus vavrai Nonfried, 1905 is placed in synonymy with Dorcus peyronis Reiche and Saulcy, 1856 (new synonymy) The female of Lucanus xerxes Král, 2004 is described. A key for the identification of the Iranian stag beetle species is also provided and all the species are figured.

The Chinese species of the genus Coelostoma Brullé, 1835 are revised and diagnosed. Five new species are described: Coelostoma bifidum sp. nov. (Jiangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong), C. hajeki sp. nov. (Guangdong, Guangxi), C. hongkongense sp. nov. (Hong Kong), C. huangi sp. nov. (Guangxi, Jiangxi), and C. gentilii sp. nov. (Xizang). Coelostoma coomani Orchymont, 1932, C. orbiculare (Fabricius, 1775) and C. vividum Orchymont, 1936 are reported for the first time from China. Coelostoma sulcatum Pu, 1963, syn. nov. is synonymized with C. stultum (Walker, 1858). Additional faunistic data from China are provided for C. phallicum Orchymont, 1940, C. vagum Orchymont, 1940, C. turnai Hebauer, 2006, C. wui Orchymont, 1940, C. stultum (Walker, 1858), C. vitalisi Orchymont, 1923, C. fallaciosum Orchymont, 1936 and C. horni (Régimbart, 1920). Coelostoma fabricii (Montrouzier, 1860) is not considered as member of Chinese fauna as all previous records are dubious and no new material was found during our study. The distribution of C. horni in China is discussed in detail, with records from Hong Kong here considered dubious. An updated identification key to the Chinese species of Coelostoma is provided.

THE STAG BEETLE LUCANUS CERVUS (COLEOPTERA, LUCANIDAE) IN ART AND MYTHOLOGY Eva SPRECHER-UEBERSAX 1 RÉSUMÉ. -Le Lucane cerf-volant Lucanus cervus (Coleoptera, Lucanidae) dans l'art et la mythologie. -Connu en Europe depuis l'Antiquité, Lucanus cervus, le plus grand Coléoptère européen, a de tout temps captivé l'imagination et fasciné l'humanité. Les premières sources écrites dans lesquelles il est mentionné remontent à la Grèce ancienne et les dernières sont de très récentes peintures de lucanes mâles du 21 e siècle, ce qui démontre une remarquable durée de l'intérêt porté à cet insecte charismatique. La popularité du Lucane repose non seulement sur les légendes mythologiques mais aussi sur ses pouvoirs magiques. Au cours du temps, il s'est lentement débarrassé de la signifi cation symbolique qui lui avait été assignée pour prendre une fonction descriptive et décorative, devenant au fi nal le sujet favori de beaucoup d'artistes. Par son aptitude à stimuler l'imagination populaire et à jouer une variété de rôles, le Lucane apparaît même dans les illustrations satiriques. Il est inscrit au répertoire décoratif de l'Art Nouveau sur les porcelaines, les bijoux, les timbres et une variété de biens de consommation.

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