Cheirotonus jansoni, a national second-class protected wildlife species in China, has been spotted in the Shimentai area of the candidate site for Nanling National Park in Guangdong, marking the first recorded sighting of the species in Shimentai.
Forest rangers discovered the large beetle on a tree trunk during a routine patrol. After an initial identification, experts from South China Agricultural University confirmed that it was a male Cheirotonus jansoni.
Endemic to China, the species is known for its metallic green and copper-colored body and unusually long forelegs. It inhabits well-preserved evergreen broad-leaved forests with limited human disturbance, while its larvae develop in decaying wood and humus.
The discovery provides new data for biodiversity monitoring in the Shimentai area. As of the end of 2025, the area had recorded 2,826 plant species and 488 vertebrate species. More than 10 new plant and animal species, including Phlomoides yingdeensis and Hypselotriton jiaoren, have also been documented there.
Author | Huang Xinying
Photos | Southcn.com
