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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Scarabaeoidea » Scarab Beetles (Scarabaeidae) » May Beetles and Junebugs (Melolonthinae)

Subfamily Melolonthinae - May Beetles and Junebugs

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · See Also · Print References · Works Cited

Another beetle in need of identity. - Diplotaxis liberta

Yellow beetle w red legs. - Macrodactylus

Lined June Beetle, Polyphylla crinita - Polyphylla crinita

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

Superfamily Scarabaeoidea

Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)

Subfamily Melolonthinae (May Beetles and Junebugs)

Other Common Names

Chafers

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Oncerini and Podolasiini have been elevated to subfamily status in (1)

Explanation of Names

Melolonthinae Leach 1819

Numbers

>600 spp. in ~30 genera in our area, ~12,000 spp. in ~800 genera of 34 tribes total(2)(3)(4)(1)

Size

3-58 mm(5); our spp. 5-35 mm

Identification

Medium-sized to large scarabs, usually brown or black. Some are shiny, many are bristly (setose) or scaly. Other characters(6):

tarsal claws often toothed or double

clypeus (shield-like area above mouthparts) unarmed (without teeth)

antennae with 7-10 segments, last 3-7 elongate and forming a club, sometimes fanning out (especially in males)

bases of antennae usually concealed from above

scutellum (triangular region at base of elytra) exposed

margins of elytra straight, not strongly curved

key to tribes in (1)

Range

worldwide and across NA

See Also

Rutelinae | Cetoniinae

Print References

(6)

Works Cited

1.	On the tribal classification of the Nearctic Melolonthinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), with descriptions of new species of Acoma Evans A.V., Smith, A.B.T. 2020. Zootaxa 4748: 51–77.

2.	The Scarabaeoid Beetles of Nebraska Brett C. Ratcliffe & M.J. Paulsen. 2008. University of Nebraska State Museum, Vol 22, 570 pp.

3.	An electronic checklist of the New World chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Version 3 Evans A.V., Smith A.B.T. 2009. Electronically published, Ottawa, Canada. 353 pp.

4.	Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta) Bouchard P, Bousquet Y, Davies A, Alonso-Zarazaga M, Lawrence JF, Lyal CH, Newton A, Reid CA, Schmitt M, Ślipiński SA, Smith A. 2011. ZooKeys 88: 1–972.

5.	Generic Guide to New World Scarab Beetles (by Brett Ratcliffe and Mary Liz Jameson)

6.	Scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of South Carolina Phillip J. Harpootlian. 2001. Clemson University Public Service.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 23 March, 2004 - 4:52pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Beatriz Moisset, Phillip Harpootlian, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 22 July, 2021 - 6:14pm

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