JOURNAL of Soil Biology and Ecology 

Taxonomic status of genera Holotrichia Hope and Leucopholis  Dejean (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) of India 

Authors: K.V. PRAKASH, JINI JACOB AND P. NIRMALA 

Abstract:

The superfamily Scarabaeoidea is a large group of specialized beetles (Sawada, 1991). They are readily recognizable by their antennae, which are 8 to 11 segmented (usually 10 segmented), with the last 3 to 7 segments forming a lamellate or pectinate club in different species. Linnaeus (1735) laid the foundation for the classification of scarabs by defining two genera Scarabaeus (based  on  the  presence  of  “cleft antennal  club” and  absence  of  horn)  and the Lucanus (capitate  antenna  and  having  mobile,  hard  and  branched  horns).  However,  in subsequent editions, stag beetles were included in Scarabaeus. Later,  Scopoli  (1763) separated Lucanus from Scarabaeus. Fabricius (1775) recognized six genera and coined the term lamellate antenna. Latreille (1802) used the name “Scarabaeid” for the first time to designate a family that included both lucanid and passalid beetles. MacLeay (1819) coined the term Scarabaeidae as a family name. Kohlmann (2006) analyzed the history of the classification of Scarabaeoidea. Scholtz (1990) proposed 12 families and considered “Scarabaeidae” an advanced lineage and the remaining 11 families primitive lineages. Smith et al. (2006) revised the classification and recognized three major phylogenetic groups based on molecular characters. The first group contains the families Geotrupidae Latreille, 1802; Passalidae Leach, 1815; and Pleocomidae LeConte, 1861; the second contains Lucanidae Latreille, 1804; Diphyllostomatidae Holloway, 1972, Trogidae MacLeay, 1819 and Glaresidae Kolbe, 1905; and the third contains Hybosoridae Erichson, 1847, Ochodaeidae Mulsant and Rey, 1871, Glaphyridae MacLeay, 1819 and Scarabaeidae Latreille, 1802. Scarabs vary considerably in their habits. Many are dung feeders or feed on decomposing plant materials, and a substantial majority are plant feeders. The phytophagous larvae of the Scarabaeidae, commonly referred to as root grubs or white grubs, are devastating pests of field crops, ornamentals, lawns, grasslands, palms and trees. They are listed among the national pests of India ( Raodeo and Deshpande, 1987). 

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