Entomology

Calvia sichuanica Kovář (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Coccinellini) is reported for the first time from India and Myanmar, previously known only from China. Also, Calvia explanata Poorani, from Sikkim and Darjeeling, is newly reported from Manipur, state of India.

This study includes a taxonomic account of four species of genus Bolbohamatum; B. calanus (Westwood, 1848), B. phallosum Krikken, 1980, B. marginale Krikken, 1980 and B. laterale (Westwood, 1848) and one species of genus Bolbogonium; B. insidiosum Krikken, 1977 from Central India (Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh). The pronotal ornamentation and external male genitalia of Bolbohamatum species has been diagnosed with the incorporation of an identification key to the species from Central India. A checklist containing 19 Indian species of both genera (Bolbohamatum and Bolbogonium) has also been prepared with their distribution in different states of India as well as outside of India.

"Some 10 species of dynastine beetles, belonging to 8 genera and
4 tribes were studied from Madhya Pradesh available in the ZSI, Jabalpur collections. Identification keys to the tribes, genera and species of these beetles are provided along with the descriptions and illustrations of the external male genitalia of 6 species. Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus), Dipelicus bidens Arrow and Pentodon algerinum indicum Endrodi are newly recorded from the state. Distribution of dynastine beetles in different protected areas of the state were also studied and the highest number of species (4 spp.) were reported from Bandhavgarh National Park, followed by 3 spp from Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve. The Pench Tiger Reserve, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Veerangana Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary, Jabalpur, each had 2 spp., and single species from the Van Vihar National Park and from Sidhi district."

The study presents taxonomic account of 52 species of dung beetles belonging to 22 genera, 12 tribes, 04 subtribes, 05 subfamilies and 03 families viz. Scarabaeidae, Geotrupidae and Hybosoridae from Chhattisgarh. Interactive identification keys to the subfamilies, tribes, genera and species were prepared by studying thoroughly the morphological characters of all the dung beetles specimens collected from the state. The subfamilies; Aphodiinae and Orphninae and the genera namely; Aphodius, Bolboceras, Caccobius, Copris, Drepanocerus, Phaeochrous, Phalops, Rhyssemus, Sisyphus, Tiniocellus, Oniticellus, Onitis and Orphnus are first time studied, illustrated and keyed from the state. Out of 52 species, 36 species are reported as addition to the dung beetle fauna of Chhattisgarh. Based on the collection data, the highest number of species were recorded from Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary (41spp.) followed by Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (27 spp.) and Kanger Valley National Park (15 spp.).

Based on the specimens present in Zoological Survey of India, (Jabalpur), the paper presents new distributional record of 12 species of Pleurostict Scarabaeidae, comprising eight species of Rutelinae, two species of Cetoniinae, one species each of Melolonthinae and Dynastinae from Arunachal Pradesh (India).

"Biodiversity surveys in the years, 2004 to 2008 at many locations of Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (AABR)
yielded 52 species of scarab beetles (Coprophagous and chafer beetle) belonging to 24 genera and 5 subfamilies of family
Scarabaeidae. Of these, 26 species in the subfamily Scarabaeinae exclusively feed on dung while remaining 26 species are phytophagous in nature, distributed in four subfamilies; Rutelinae, Melolonthinae, Dynastinae and Cetoniinae."

Diversity and composition of dung beetles (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae) assemblages were sampled, analyzed and studied in Singhori Wildlife Sanctuary (SWLS), Madhya Pradesh. Collection of specimens yielded a total of 669 beetles representing 26 species belonging to 12 genera and two subfamilies. The subfamily Scarabaeinae with 24 species is dominating (71.59% of total individuals) over Aphodiinae (27.40%) with two species. Twenty species were collected in mixed forests (n=398) and nineteen species in agricultural lands (n=271), wherein thirteen species were present in both the habitats. Though the species richness is almost similar in SWLS, but there is significant difference in guild structure and composition. Tunnellers were the most speciose (22 species) and abundant (55.3%) followed by dwellers which constitute three species with 42.8% abundance in the assemblage.

"Onthophagus (Onthophagus) duporti Boucomont, 1914, O. (O.) mopsus (Fabricius, 1792),
O. (O.) orissanus Arrow, 1931, O. (O.) truncaticornis (Schaller, 1783) and O. (Colobonthophagus)
paliceps Arrow, 1931 are recorded for the first time from Madhya Pradesh (India)
with their external male genitalia diagnosed for the first time. A checklist pertaining to Madhya
Pradesh including 34 species of Onthophagus distributed in six subgenera is also provided."

"The paper presents new record of five species of genus Onthophagus Latreille viz. Onthophagus.
(Onthophagus) abacus Boucomont, O. (O.) armatus Blanchard, O. (O.) rudis Sharp, O. (O.) gratus Arrow
and O. (Proagoderus) amplexus Sharp, from Central India. The description of external male genitalia of
these species except O. (O.) rudis Sharp is provided for the first time. "

The paper presents faunal account of a small collection of scarab beetles from Govind Wildlife
Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, comprising 11 species belonging to 11 genera, 5 subfamilies and 2 families of superfamily
Scarabaeoidea. All the species are recorded for the first time from the sanctuary while three species viz. Anomala
cantori (Hope), Mimela passerinii Hope, and Oryctes nasicornis (Linnaeus) are new records to the fauna of Uttarakhand.
An updated checklist of the scarab beetles under superfamily Scarabaeoidea of Uttarakhand comprising about 167
species belonging to 52 genera, 21 tribes, 9 subfamilies and 3 families is also provided.

The present paper incorporates an account of Scarabaeid beetles of
Veerangana Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary (VDWS), Damoh, Madhya Pradesh,
India, comprising 28 species belonging to 14 genera and five subfamilies. All
the species are recorded for the first time from VDWS, of which five species
viz. Onthophagus bengalensis Harold, Apogonia ferruginea (Fabricius),
Apogonia proxima Waterhouse, Idionycha excisa Arrow and Anomala polita
Blanchard are new record to the fauna of Madhya Pradesh.

An updated checklist of 61 species of Scarabaeoid beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) belonging to 30 genera, 19 tribes and 7 subfamilies under 3 families (Geotrupidae, Hybosoridae and Scarabaeidae) from Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh, India) is provided for the first time. The details of specimens examined and distribution of the recorded species in India and abroad are provided which is further supplemented with the illustrations of 54 species. The study reports 22 species as new records for the tiger reserve. Out of the total species, Delopleurus parvus and Onthophagus coeruleicollis (Scarabaeinae) have been recorded for the first time from the state of Madhya Pradesh. The present study is not only a faunistic report but also an illustrated field guide for the identification of the Scarabaeoid beetles occurring in the tiger reserve which will help in conservation planning, protected area justification and design and development of management plans.

The study presents new records of 29 species under two families viz. Scarabaeidae and Hybosoridae of order Coleoptera from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh (India). The family Scarabaeidae includes 27 species belonging to 18 genera under five subfamilies while Hybosoridae represents only two species belonging to single genus under subfamily Hybosorinae. An updated checklist of 58 species of the scarab beetles belonging
to 32 genera, 17 tribes, 10 subtribes, 11 subfamilies under four families of superfamily Scarabaeoidea is also provided.

Diversity and relative abundance of Pleurostict Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae; Rutelinae,
Melolonthinae, Dynastinae, Cetoniinae) were studied and analyzed in Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere
Reserve (AABR), Chhattisgarh. Scarab sampling during the years 2004 and 2008 yielded a total of 426 beetles
belonging to 26 species distributed in 13 genera and four subfamilies. Between the two selected study areas
viz. Atariya and Chhaparwa, the highest numbers of scarabs (n=346) were observed in Chhaparwa constituting
24 species under 12 genera and accounting 81.22% of the total number of beetles collected from the biosphere
reserve. While from Atariya, 80 scarabs, comprising 13 species belonging to five genera and four subfamilies
were collected. The subfamily Rutelinae with 16 species (71.12% of the total individuals) was dominating over
other subfamilies. Anomala (9 species) was found the most dominant genus in the scarab population of the
biosphere reserve, accounting 57.51 % of the total scarabs collected from the study area.