# The Tanner

*Prionus coriarius*

The male's prominent, saw-like antennae are highly sensitive pheromone detectors used to locate females in the dark.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Cerambycidae › Prionus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous and mixed woodlands, especially areas with abundant mature, decaying trees and rotting stumps.
- **Diet:** Larvae feed on decaying wood and roots of oak, beech, and pine; adults do not feed, relying on larval energy reserves.
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa, Near East, Caucasus
- **Size:** 28 to 45 mm in length
- **Lifespan:** 3 to 4 years as larvae; 2 to 4 weeks as adults
- **Active:** crepuscular
- **Threats:** Modern forestry practices that remove deadwood and old stumps, leading to habitat fragmentation.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans but defensive if handled. Its powerful mandibles can deliver a painful pinch. Observe from a safe distance. If pinched, wash the area with soap and water to prevent secondary infection.

## About

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## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/765dc180-72df-49a7-99fa-a2e3c039b589
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/446693
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prionus coriarius
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/394930846/medium.jpg (gbohne, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.