Colophon is a small genus of beetle

Beetle

Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...

 in the "stag beetle" family Lucanidae.

These beetles are flightless, and are endemic to South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, each restricted to its own mountain range or peak within a range (mostly between 1000–2000 m elevation). Dead specimens are highly prized by beetle collectors.

As a result of commercial pressure, Colophon beetles have been placed on CITES Schedule II (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). This means that no trade, exchange or sale of Colophon species is allowed.

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

Endangered species

An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...

 and Colophon primosi

Colophon primosi

Colophon primosi is one of 17 described species of beetle in family Lucanidae, closely related to the Scarab family. It is endemic to South Africa....

as critically endangered (these changes are not reflected in the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which was last updated in 1994).