Oviposition and larval mycelia preference of the saproxylic European stag beetle

In the light of evidence-based conservation, we analysed the relation between the European stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) and a selection of ten common wood-decomposing fungi. We studied log preference and number of offspring for logs inoculated with different fungi during oviposition in a cafeteria experiment. A second experiment assessed survival and relative growth rates of larvae placed in substrates colonized by the different fungal species. The selected fungi used in both experiments are phylogenetically diverse and represent different rot types. Females laid no eggs in logs with brown-rot fungi and all larvae died in brown-rot mycelia within 33 days due to black spot. All white-rot fungi were accepted for oviposition, with no species-specific preferences. The larval survival rate in white-rot species was at least 57% and the relative growth rate of larvae was positive (except for the toxic Omphalotus illudens). At rot type level, we can confirm the optimal ovipo...,
Ten fungal species were selected for the larval as well as the oviposition experiments (Table 1). All selected species have a wide distribution in Europe and are capable of colonising subterranean deciduous dead wood. Some of the selected species have been mentioned in the literature to be associated with the European stag beetle (Table 1). Furthermore, species were selected to represent different rot types (based on Funguild, Nguyen et al., 2016) and taxonomic groups (Basidiomycota and Ascomycota). Finally, Omphalotus illudens (French and Garrettson) (Schwein.) Bresinsky & Besl was included as it contains the toxin illudin, which is at least toxic to humans and rats (French & Garrettson, 1988; Tanaka et al., 1996).

Table 1. Selected fungus species in alphabetical order within rot type used in the two experiments with abbreviated name (Abbr.), rot type (Nguyen et al., 2016), division, reference for its association with L. cervus, and number of successful inoculated logs.

..., , # Data from: Oviposition and larval mycelia preference of the saproxylic European stag beetle

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xd2547dt2](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xd2547dt2)

## Description of the data and file structure

### Files and variables

#### File: LarvalExperiment.csv

**Description:** Data from the larval experiment

##### Variables

* Fungi: Abbreviated name of the fungi inocculated in the substrate, see table 1 of the associated article, factor
* RotType: Rot type to which the fungi belongs to, factor
* Survival: Survival of the stag beetle (L. crvus) larvae, binomial
* RGR: Relative growth rate of the stag beetle (L. crvus) larvae, numerical. NA for larvae that didn't survive the experiment.

#### File: OvipositionExperiment.csv

**Description:** Data from the oviposition experiment

##### Variables

* Box: Box in which the compartement was present, numerical
* Compartment: Code of individual compartment, factor
* Fungus: Abbreviated name of the fungi inocculated in th...,