''Colophon'' is a small genus of

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

s in the stag beetle family

Lucanidae Stag beetles are a family of about 1,200 species of beetles in the family Lucanidae, currently classified in four subfamilies.Smith, A.B.T. (2006). A review of the family-group names for the superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) with corrections ...

. These 17 species of beetles are flightless, and are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, each restricted to its own mountain range or peak within a range (mostly between 1000 and 2000 m elevation). Dead specimens are highly prized by beetle collectors. As a result of commercial pressure, ''Colophon'' beetles have been placed on

CITES CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...

Appendix III. This means international import and export of ''Colophon'' species is regulated. Limited reference specimens may only be collected for scientific purposes with the appropriate permit issued by the Department of Western Cape Nature Conservation. All ''Colophon'' species are presently listed as

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

and '' Colophon primosi'' as critically endangered (these changes are not reflected in th
2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
which was last updated in 1994).

References

* * Lucaninae Lucanidae genera Endangered animals {{Lucanidae-stub