First evidence of predation by the edible dormouse, Glis glis (Rodentia: Gliridae) on adult European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae)

Abstract The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus , is a flagship saproxylic species in Europe, listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive and threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. This study documents the first recorded arboreal predation of adult L. cervus by the edible dormouse, Glis glis , based on three years of field observations in northern Italy. Predation occurred mainly in the canopy shortly after sunset, coinciding with peak beetle flight activity and higher G. glis abundance. Predation rates appeared low, and morphometric analyses of mandible and elytron length revealed no significant size differences between predated and non-predated beetles, suggesting no size-selective predation. Documenting this novel predator–prey interaction broadens our understanding of trophic dynamics and behaviour, while underscoring the need to consider native predators in studies of wildlife ecology in European forests.