 This species is commonly known as golden, rainbow, magnificent, Mueller's and king stag beetle.In 1885 the species was named "Phalacrognathus muelleri" by Sir William Macleay in honour of Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, the Victorian Government Botanist, the genus "Phalacrognathus" created at the same time.Males of "Phalacrognathus muelleri" are the largest members of the family Lucanidae in Australia.