Melolonthinae

Melolonthinae
Male Polyphylla alba (Melolonthini)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Superfamily:	Scarabaeoidea
Family:	Scarabaeidae
Subfamily:	Melolonthinae Samouelle, 1819
Diversity
About 20–30 tribes
Synonyms
Hopliinae Systellopodinae

Mating Rhizotrogon marginipes (Melolonthini/Rhizotrogini), male on top – note sexually dimorphic antennae

Melolonthinae is a subfamily of the scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae). It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains many familiar species. Some authors include the scarab subfamilies Euchirinae and Pachypodinae as tribes in the Melolonthinae.

Unlike some of their relatives, their habitus is usually not bizarre. They resemble the Rutelinae in being fairly plesiomorphic in outward appearance. Like in many Scarabaeidae, males have large fingered antennae, while those of the females are smaller and somewhat knobby. In the Melolonthinae, this sexual dimorphism is particularly pronounced. Many species have striking – though rarely brilliant or iridescent – hues and bold patterns of hairs.

Being often quite sizeable and swarming in numbers at certain times, for example the Amphimallon, Phyllophaga and Polyphylla "june beetles" or the Melolontha cockchafers – all from tribe Melolonthini – feature widely in folklore. Some Melolonthinae are economically significant pests. Other than the Melolonthini, the most diverse tribes are the Ablaberini, Liparetrini, Macrodactylini, Pachydemini and Sericini.

Systematics

Phyllotocus sp. (Sericini)

Stethaspis sp. (Stethaspini/Xylonychini)

According to various authors, the living Melolonthinae are divided into about 20-30 tribes. Some notable genera and species are also listed here:

Ablaberini Burmeister, 1855 – including Camentini Automoliini Britton, 1978 Chasmatopterini Lacordaire, 1856 Colymbomorphini – sometimes in Xylonychini Comophorinini Britton, 1957 – including Comophini Diphucephalini Britton, 1957 Diphycerini – sometimes in Macrodactylini Diplotaxini – sometimes in Melolonthini Heteronychini Britton, 1957 Hopliini Lichniini Liparetrini Burmeister, 1855 – including Allarini, Colpochilini Macrodactylini Kirby, 1837 – including Dichelonyciini Maechidiini Burmeister, 1855 Melolonthini Samouelle, 1819 Amphimallon Leucopholis Melolontha – cockchafers, May bugs Miridiba Phyllophaga – May beetles Polyphylla Sophrops

Oncerini Pachydemini Reitter, 1902 Pachytrichini Burmeister, 1855 Phyllotocidiini Britton, 1957 Podolasiini – sometimes in Hopliini Rhizotrogini – sometimes in Melolonthini Holotrichia Scitalini Britton, 1957 Sericini Dalla Torre, 1912 Maladera Sericoidini Burmeister, 1855 Stethaspini – sometimes in Xylonychini Systellopini Sharp, 1877 Tanyproctini – sometimes in Pachydemini Xylonychini Britton, 1957

In addition, a prehistoric tribe, the Cretomelolonthini, is only known from fossils.

Several genera are of unclear relations; they are not yet firmly placed in a tribe:

Acoma Conebius Fuavel, 1903 Costelytra – Liparetrini? Hemictenius – Pachydemini? Metascelis Westwood, 1842 Mycernus – Colymbomorphini, Stethaspini, Xylonychini?

Odontria – Liparetrini? Prodontria – Liparetrini? Psilodontria – Colymbomorphini, Stethaspini, Xylonychini? Scythrodes – Liparetrini? Sericospilus – Liparetrini?

"Anonetus" and "Tryssus", both used by Erichson in 1847, are nomina nuda. Holophylla and Hoplorida are of uncertain validity.

Whether the scarab beetle Xenaclopus belongs in the present subfamily is doubtful. Alosimus, generally held to be a blister beetle of the Lyttini and not at all close to the scarabs, was placed in the Melolonthinae by entomologist Werner Heinz Muche.

References

Data related to Melolonthinae at Wikispecies Media related to Melolonthinae at Wikimedia Commons

• http://insects.tamu.edu/research/collection/hallan/test/Arthropoda/Insects/Coleoptera/Family/Scarabaeidae.txt