No.61 Miyama stag beetle

The Miyama stag beetle is one of Japan's iconic large stag beetles, found from Hokkaido to Kyushu in the broadleaf forests of the country's mountains and hills. Its Japanese name derives from "miyama" (deep mountains), reflecting its preference for higher elevations. Males bear a large, crown-like flange extending from the head and powerful mandibles lined with inner teeth. Active at night, they gather at the sap of oak trees and favor cooler, more temperate surroundings.

The specimen scanned here is a one-of-a-kind art piece created by Kokemaru Interior. Made without piercing the beetle with pins, it captures the very moment of taking flight—elevating the creature's natural beauty into sculptural form without diminishing it. JMC digitized this delicate work non-destructively using industrial CT.
Artwork: Kokemaru Interior： https://kokemaru-interior.com

The CT scan clearly reveals the curved mandibles with their rows of inner teeth, the well-developed muscles of the head and thorax that drive them, and the interior of the exoskeleton (cuticle) that keeps the body light. Beneath the elytra (forewings), the membranous hindwings used for flight can be seen spread open, and everything from the thin, lightweight wings to the tracheae (the respiratory system) threading through the body is open to observation.