Melolonthinae | |
---|---|
Male Polyphylla alba (Melolonthini) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Scarabaeidae |
Subfamily: | Melolonthinae Leach, 1819 |
Diversity | |
About 20–30 tribes | |
Synonyms | |
Hopliinae |
Melolonthinae is a subfamily of the scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae). It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains over 11,000 species in over 750 genera. [1] 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, Tanyproctini and Sericini.
Melolonthinae adults range from 3 to 58 mm in length and are usually brown or black in colour. Some species are shiny, while many are covered in setae or scales. The clypeus, a structure on the head above the mouthparts, is not armed with teeth. There are two antennae, each with 7 to 10 segments, of which the last 3 to 7 segments are elongate and form a club, and the antennal bases are usually concealed from above. The scutellum is exposed at the base of the elytra. The margins of the elytra are straight instead of strongly curved. Each leg ends in a pair of tarsal claws that are often toothed or double. [2] [3]
Larvae are C-shaped with a white/cream body and a darker, well-sclerotised head. They can be distinguished from other scarabaeid larvae by the galea and lacinia either partly fused proximally or fitting tightly together, the mandibles lacking stridulatory areas, the apical segment of the antenna about as wide as its penultimate segment, and the anal cleft usually Y-shaped or angulate. [3] [4] [5]
The Melolonthinae life cycle has the four stages of egg, larva, pupa and adult, similar to other beetles. Eggs are laid in soil, which is also where the larval and pupal stages occur. Adults occur above ground. The larval stage is long and may last up to two years, whereas the adult stage is short and lasts only a few days or weeks. [4]
Larval melolonthines feed on plant roots and humus. Known host plants include grasses, clover and sugarcane. Adults may (e.g. Automolius , Diphucephala , Heteronyx , Liparetrus , Phyllotocus and Sericesthis ) or may not feed (e.g. Antitrogus and Rhopaea ). Adults that feed do so on the leaves of trees, such as eucalypts, or on flowers or pollen. [4] [5]
Adults are usually crepuscular or nocturnal, but the flower- and pollen-feeding species are often diurnal. They are often attracted to light. [4] [5]
In feeding species, adults gather on trees and this helps them find each other to mate. In non-feeding species, virgin females emit a sex pheromone so that males can find them. [4]
Larvae of Sericesthis spp. are pasture pests, while larvae of Dermolepida albohirtum , Antitrogus and Lepidiota are sugarcane pests. [4] Lepidiota stigma is another sugarcane pest and also attacks corn, sorghum and various fruits. [3] Adults of Phyllophaga spp. can sometimes cause complete defoliation of deciduous trees. [5]
According to various authors, the living Melolonthinae are divided into about 20–30 tribes. Some notable genera and species are also listed here:
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:
" Anonetus " and " Tryssus ", both used by Erichson in 1847, are nomina nuda . Holophylla and Hoplorida are of uncertain validity.
The common cockchafer, also colloquially known as the Maybug, Maybeetle, or doodlebug, is a species of scarab beetle belonging to the genus Melolontha. It is native to Europe, and it is one of several closely-related and morphologically similar species of Melolontha called cockchafers, alongside Melolontha hippocastani.
Melolontha hippocastani, the northern cockchafer, is a species of scarab beetle native to Eurasia, with its range spanning from Western Europe to the Pacific coast of China. It is one of several species in the genus Melolontha known as cockchafers, alongside the common cockchafer and Melolontha pectoralis, but generally at more northern latitudes, or at higher altitudes in upland woods further south. The adults are around 20–29 mm in length. It is distinguished from Melolontha melolontha by the shape of its pygidium, which is primarily black in colour. It primarily dwells in forests, and as such is also known as the forest cockchafer. The mate-finding behaviour in M. hippocastani is facilitated by plant volatiles and sex pheromones. Mating activities primarily takes place during the evening flight periods. Females lay their eggs in soil, and the larvae feed on decaying organic matter and later small plant roots, including the roots of young trees like pines and firs. The larvae usually develop between 3 and 5 years. They emerge between late April and the end of June. Like other cockchafers, they have been considered a serious pest of crops and trees.
June beetle is the common name for several scarab beetles that appear around June in temperate parts of North America:
Phyllophaga is a very large genus of New World scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae. Common names for this genus and many other related genera in the subfamily Melolonthinae are May beetles, June bugs, and July beetles. They range in size from 12 to 35 mm and are blackish or reddish-brown in colour, without prominent markings, and often rather hairy ventrally. These beetles are nocturnal, and are attracted to artificial lights in great numbers.
Dermolepida albohirtum, the cane beetle, is a native Australian beetle and a pest of sugarcane. Adult beetles eat the leaves of sugarcane, but greater damage is done by their larvae hatching underground and eating the roots, which either kills or stunts the growth of the plant. The beetles can also be found in the Philippines and are known there by the local name salagubang.
Polyphylla is a genus of scarab beetle includes more than 80 species distributed in North and Central America, southern and central Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia—from Asia Minor to Japan. They typically reside in forests and orchards with most being identified by white elytra scales forming stripes. The adult beetles are often attracted to lights. Polyphylla lay their eggs on soil near plants from where the larvae hatch and burrow down to the roots on which they will feed. They reach maturity in two to three years.
Monkey beetles are scarab beetles, a group of around 70 genera and 850 described species within the tribe Hopliini. The placement of this tribe within the family Scarabaeidae is uncertain between Melolonthinae and Rutelinae. Many species visit flowers for pollen and nectar, or browse on the petals. The beetles are important pollinators of Aizoaceae and Asteraceae in grazed and ungrazed areas, as well as many others.
Rutelinae or shining leaf chafers is a subfamily of the scarab beetles. It is a very diverse group; distributed over most of the world, it contains some 200 genera with over 4,000 described species in 7 tribes. Several taxa have yet to be described. A few recent classifications include the tribe Hopliini, but this is not generally accepted.
Scelophysa trimeni, commonly known as the blue monkey beetle, is a species of scarab beetles in the tribe Hopliini, subfamily Melolonthinae.
Melolonthini is a tribe of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are over 250 genera in Melolonthini, occurring worldwide; there are over 300 species in North America alone, and more than 3000 worldwide.
Macrodactylini is a tribe of May beetles and junebugs in the family Scarabaeidae. There are at least 46 genera and over a thousand species described in the tribe Macrodactylini.
Polyphylla occidentalis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga tusa is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga forsteri is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga antennata is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Phyllophaga vetula is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It lives in Central America and North America.
Phyllophaga floridana is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America, and most commonly in the peninsula of Florida and similar humid climates.
Phyllophaga chapini is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America.
Apogonia blanchardi, is a species of dung beetle found in India and Sri Lanka.
Data related to Melolonthinae at Wikispecies Media related to Melolonthinae at Wikimedia Commons