Melolontha guttigera Sharp, 1876

Gupta, Devanshu, Keith, Denis, Bhunia, Debika, Das, Priyanka, Ghosh, Joyjit & Chandra, Kailash, 2023, Review of Melolontha Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from India with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 5263 (2), pp. 191-216 : 193

Melolontha guttigera Sharp, 1876

( Figs. 1 , 13 , 41 , 53 )

Melolontha guttigera Sharp 1876: 87 (type locality: India); Barlow 1899: 270 (catalogue); Arrow 1913a: 192 (comment on placement of genus and sexual dimorphism); Arrow 1913b: 401 (comment on placement of genus and sexual dimorphism); Bezděk 2006: 195 (catalogue); Li et al. 2010: 351, figs., 24, 24, 25, 32, 37, 42, 47, 52, 57, 61 (lectotype designation); Chandra & Gupta 2012: 890, fig. 2A (distribution); Bezděk 2016: 231 (catalogue).

Hoplosternus guttigera: Nonfried 1892: 285 (checklist); Brenske 1900: 154 (diagnosis).

Hoplosternus guttiger: Dalla Torre 1912: 264 (catalogue, misspelling); Sabatinelli 1992: 613 (catalogue, misspelling).

Material examined. India, West Bengal: Darjeeling, Ghum, 750ft. 09.ix.1908, 1♀, Mus. Coll. [ NZSI]; Darjeeling, Ghum, 750ft. 18.ix.1908, 1♁, 2♀, leg. Major Bennett [ NZSI]; Kurseong, 5,000 ft., 1♁, leg. N.B. Jahans [ NZSI]; Darjeeling, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Latpanchar Beat Office, 26.53.463N, 88.23.958E, 3662ft, 08.xi.2017, 3♁, 2♀, leg. D. Suresh Chand [ NZSI]; Darjeeling, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Latpanchar Beat Office, 26.53.463N, 88.23.958E, 3662 ft., 3.xi.2018, 2♁, 3♀, leg. D. Suresh Chand [ NZSI]; Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Karli Line, Antipoaching Tower 1, 741ft. 31.x.2018, 1♁, leg. D. Suresh Chand [ NZSI]; Neora Valley National Park , Ashaley Camp, Samsing Beat, 22.ix.2018, 1♁, leg. P.C. Pathania [ NZSI] . India, Arunachal Pradesh: Itanagar, ZSI Complex, 1 ex., leg. P.T. Bhutia [ NZSI]; Kameng , Bhalulpong , 7.ix.1998, 1♁, leg. A.R. Lahiri [ NZSI]; Dibang Valley , Roing , Jia , 26.i.2000, 1♁, leg. S.K. Mandal [ NZSI]; Bhalukpong Circuit House , 216m, 30.ix.2001, 1♁, leg. Dhriti Banerjee [ NZSI]; Domrah, 480m, 27.ix.2002, 1♀, leg. M. Sil [ NZSI]; Lower Dibang Valley Patrolling Route , 21.x.2015, 1♁, leg. S.D. Gurumayum [ NZSI] .

Diagnosis. Refer to the key to the species groups.

Distribution. India: Arunachal Pradesh (Chandra & Gupta 2012), Sikkim ( Li et al. 2010), and West Bengal ( Barlow 1899); Nepal ( Li et al. 2010).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Habitus of Melolontha species. 1, M. guttigera; 2, M. virescens; 3, M. arunachalensis new species (holotype); 4, M. lachungensis new species (holotype).

FIGURES 13–18. Pygidium of Melolontha species. 13, M. guttigera; 14, M. virescens; 15, M. arunachalensis new species (holotype); 16, M. lachungensis new species (holotype); 17, M. aeneicollis; 18, M. cuprescens.

FIGURES 41–46. Parameres of Melolontha species in dorsal view. 41, M. guttigera; 42, M. virescens; 43, M. arunachalensis new species (holotype); 44, M. lachungensis new species (holotype); 45, M. aeneicollis; 46, M. cuprescens.

FIGURES 53–64. Parameres of Melolontha species in lateral view. 53, M. guttigera; 54, M. virescens; 55, M. arunachalensis new species (holotype); 56, M. lachungensis new species (holotype); 57, M. aeneicollis; 58, M. cuprescens; 59, M. chinensis; 60, M. nepalensis; 61, M. carinata; 62, M. indica; 63, M. flabellata; 64, M. furcicauda.