Melolontha phupanensis, Keith, 2008

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 : 198

Key to the species of phupanensis species group

1. Protibiae unidentate ( Fig. 39 ); serration on lateral margins of pronotum poorly developed ( Fig. 35 ); mesometasternal process weakly produced beyond mesocoxae ( Fig. 38 ); lobes of parameres nearly rounded at apex not sharply pointed at ends in dorsal view ( Fig. 44 ).......................... .. M. lachungensis Gupta, Keith, Bhunia, Das, Ghosh & Chandra , new species

– Protibiae bidentate ( Figs. 29 , 69 ); serration on lateral margins of pronotum distinctly developed ( Figs. 27 , 65 ); mesometasternal process produced beyond mesocoxae ( Figs. 30 , 67 ); lobes of parameres nearly straight at apex, slightly pointed at ends in dorsal view ( Figs. 43 , 70 ).................................................................................... 2

2. Pronotal surface sparsely setose ( Fig. 65 ); antennal club more than 3.5 times longer than of basal segments; mesometasternal process produced beyond mesocoxae, surface with long and dense hairs posteriorly ( Fig. 67 ); ventroapical process of parameres indistinct without protuberance on top of right paramere in lateral view ( Fig. 71 ); parameres as in Figs 70, 71 and Keith (2008, figs. 15–16)................................................................... M. phupanensis Keith, 2008

– Pronotal surface densely and uniformly setose ( Fig. 27 ); antennal club more than 3.6 times longer than of basal segments; mesometasternal process produced beyond mesocoxae, surface smooth with few hairs ( Fig. 30 ); ventroapical process of parameres distinctly elongate and gradually acuminate apically with a small, crest - like protuberance on top of right paramere in lateral view ( Fig. 55 ); parameres as in Figs. 43 , 55............................................................................................... M . arunachalensis Gupta, Keith, Bhunia, Das, Ghosh & Chandra, new species

Figures

FIGURES 33–40. Melolontha lachungensis new species (holotype). 33, head and antennae; 34, basal segments of antennae; 35, pronotum; 36, scutellar plate; 37, protibia; 38, mesometasternal process; 39, metatarsomeres; 40, abdomen.

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 25–32. Melolontha arunachalensis new species (holotype). 25, head and antennae; 26, basal segments of antennae; 27, pronotum; 28, scutellar plate; 29, protibia; 30, mesometasternal process; 31, metatarsomeres; 32, abdomen.

FIGURES 65–71. Melolontha phupanensis (paratype, male). 65, habitus; 66, head and antennae; 67, mesometasternal process; 68, pygidium; 69, protibia; 70, parameres in dorsal view; 72, parameres in lateral view.

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.