taxonID	type	description	language	source
BC1F87FF137FFFF9FF74F93EFDC4BEBF.taxon	discussion	Melolontha guttigera is the only species in this group that has been reported from India; the other species are M. javanica Keith & Li, 2005 (Indonesia), M. maculata (Chang, 1983) China), M. setifera Li, 2010 (Myanmar), and M. weyersi (Brenske, 1900) (Indonesia).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FF4EFDB7BAE3.taxon	description	(Figs. 1, 13, 41, 53)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FF4EFDB7BAE3.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, West Bengal: Darjeeling, Ghum, 750 ft. 09. ix. 1908, 1 ♀, Mus. Coll. [NZSI]; Darjeeling, Ghum, 750 ft. 18. ix. 1908, 1 ♁, 2 ♀, leg. Major Bennett [NZSI]; Kurseong, 5,000 ft., 1 ♁, leg. N. B. Jahans [NZSI]; Darjeeling, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Latpanchar Beat Office, 26.53.463 N, 88.23.958 E, 3662 ft, 08. xi. 2017, 3 ♁, 2 ♀, leg. D. Suresh Chand [NZSI]; Darjeeling, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Latpanchar Beat Office, 26.53.463 N, 88.23.958 E, 3662 ft., 3. xi. 2018, 2 ♁, 3 ♀, leg. D. Suresh Chand [NZSI]; Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Karli Line, Antipoaching Tower 1, 741 ft. 31. x. 2018, 1 ♁, leg. D. Suresh Chand [NZSI]; Neora Valley National Park, Ashaley Camp, Samsing Beat, 22. ix. 2018, 1 ♁, leg. P. C. Pathania [NZSI]. India, Arunachal Pradesh: Itanagar, ZSI Complex, 1 ex., leg. P. T. Bhutia [NZSI]; Kameng, Bhalulpong, 7. ix. 1998, 1 ♁, leg. A. R. Lahiri [NZSI]; Dibang Valley, Roing, Jia, 26. i. 2000, 1 ♁, leg. S. K. Mandal [NZSI]; Bhalukpong Circuit House, 216 m, 30. ix. 2001, 1 ♁, leg. Dhriti Banerjee [NZSI]; Domrah, 480 m, 27. ix. 2002, 1 ♀, leg. M. Sil [NZSI]; Lower Dibang Valley Patrolling Route, 21. x. 2015, 1 ♁, leg. S. D. Gurumayum [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FF4EFDB7BAE3.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to the key to the species groups.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FF4EFDB7BAE3.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Arunachal Pradesh (Chandra & Gupta 2012), Sikkim (Li et al. 2010), and West Bengal (Barlow 1899); Nepal (Li et al. 2010).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FBC6FDDFBD8B.taxon	discussion	Li et al. (2010) created this group based on a single species, Melolontha virescens (Brenske, 1896), which is widely distributed in the Himalayan region.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FB2EFB77BEF5.taxon	description	(Figs. 2, 14, 42, 54)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FB2EFB77BEF5.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, West Bengal: Darjeeling, v. 1912, 03. v. 1912, 1 ♁, leg. Carmichael (NZSI); Kurseong, 5,000 ft. 1 ♁, leg. Lynch C. [NZSI]; Darjeeling, Sukhipokhari, 18. xi. 1994, 1 ♁, leg. B. C. Nandi [NZSI]. India, Sikkim: Ranipool, 15. iv. 1994, 1 ♀, on grass, leg. P. H. Roy [NZSI]. India, Arunachal Pradesh: district Papumpare, Itanagar, ZSI Complex, 08. ii. 2002, 1 ♁, at light, leg. P. B. Thapa [NZSI]; district Papumpare, Itanagar, ZSI Complex, 19. v. 2002, 1 ♁, leg. P. T. Bhutia [NZSI]; district Tawang, Namtsering, 27.5337 N, 91.6736 E, 1,428 m, 15. iv. 2018, 3 ♀, 17. iv. 2018, 1 ♀, leg. Jagdish Saini [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FB2EFB77BEF5.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to the key to the species groups.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF137CFFFAFF74FB2EFB77BEF5.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Arunachal Pradesh (new record), Himachal Pradesh (Pathania et al. 2015 a, 2015 b), Sikkim (Brenske 1896 b), and West Bengal (Darjeeling) (Brenske 1896 b); Bhutan (Frey 1975), China (Dalla & Torre 1912; Zhang 1988), Nepal (Sabatinelli & Migliaccio 1982), and Pakistan (Keith & Saltin 2012).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1378FFFFFF74F8B5FE17B833.taxon	discussion	Li et al. (2010) proposed the phupanensis group based on a single species, Melolontha phupanensis Keith, 2008, described from Laos and Vietnam. We place both newly described species, M. arunachalensis Gupta, Keith, Bhunia, Das, Ghosh & Chandra, new species and M. lachungensis Gupta, Keith, Bhunia, Das, Ghosh & Chandra, new species, in this group, based on the characters as proposed by Li et al. (2010) (refer to the key to species groups). The parameres in this group are symmetric, elongated, subequal in length with phallobase and outer margins parallel at the apical three-fourth part.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1379FFF0FF74FC6FFA82BCEF.taxon	description	(Figs. 3, 15, 25 – 32, 43, 55)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1379FFF0FF74FC6FFA82BCEF.taxon	materials_examined	Type locality. India, Arunachal Pradesh, Pange Valley. Type material. Holotype, male, labelled: “ India, Arunachal Pradesh, Pange Valley, 27 ° 13 ' 15.024 '' N, 93 ° 10 ' 40.6128 '' E, 11. iv. 2015, leg. K. A. Subramaniam ” [NZSI]. Paratypes: 3 males with the same data as holotype [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1379FFF0FF74FC6FFA82BCEF.taxon	description	Description of the holotype. Body length: 28.15 mm; maximum body width 15.35 mm. Colour. Pronotum, scutellum, venter, and legs dark brownish-black. Elytra reddish - brown. Setae whitishyellow. Head (Figs. 25 – 26). Clypeus rectangular, apical angles rounded, slightly widened apically, apex perpendicularly reflexed, moderately sinuate in frontal view, surface concave medially, lateral angles planar, surface densely and evenly punctate, punctures large, each bearing a short, robust, erect seta, setae light yellowish-brown; clypeofrontal suture complete; centre of frons concave, surface densely setose, side of eyes densely setose, setae moderately longer and more robust than those on clypeus; sides slightly narrowed making eyes larger. Antennae 10 segmented with 7 segmented club, lamellae strongly curved outwardly, 3.62 times as long as stem; antennomere 1 distinctly swollen apically, apical segment moderately elongate; labrum symmetrically bilobed, each lobe transversally developed; mentum slightly concave centrally, surface almost glabrous with only a few scattered setae; maxillary palpus with apical palpomere subequal in length to combination of palpomeres 2 – 3; ocular canthus heavily covered with brownish erect robust setae. Pronotum (Fig. 27). Transverse, widest at middle, basomedially slightly protuberant posteriorly; surface densely to confluently punctate along lateral margin; punctures moderately large with a tiny, brownish seta, setae longer and more robust towards centre; centre of pronotal disc sparsely punctate; sides of midline setose with spot consisting of concentrated brownish setae on each apical side of midline; setae denser along basomedial margin; serration of lateral margin distinctly developed, basal half of margin with completed bead. Scutellar plate (Fig. 28). Oval, surface lightly, sparsely punctate, two longitudinal rows of setae fused at point making a triangle, apical margin has a row of slender hair-like setae. Elytra (Fig. 3). Broadest at base. Costae 1 – 3 (costa one as sutural costa) glabrous and well developed, costae 2 and 3 broadly fused on apical umbone, costa 4 feebly developed and hardly observable; outer margin of costa 1 with aligned row of whitish, scale - like setae; intervals rugose, intermixed with two kinds of whitish setae, one lanceolate and scale - like and other slender and smaller, both moderately dense in distribution; posthumeral and 3 basal patches composed of overlapping, white, scale - like setae, posthumeral patch slender in shape; apical area of elytron steeply depressed below plane of disc, densely covered with whitish brown, tiny setae; epipleuron entirely setose, whitish brown setae evenly distributed; humeral umbone moderately swollen. Pygidium (Fig. 15). Triangular, 1.6 times wider than long; anterior half with long; disc either side slightly depressed medially; surface densely covered with whitish brown setae; setae short evenly distributed or moderately scattered along midline; apex rounded; lateral margin straight. Venter (Fig. 30). Mesometasternal process produced beyond mesocoxae, surface smooth with few hairs; meso- and metasternum with thick, dense hairs. Abdominal sternites (Fig. 32). Abdominal segments 1 – 5 with a lateral maculation of yellowish-brown, scalelike setae; maculation on sternite 6 light; abdominal surface densely setose; setae whitish brown to yellowish – brown, lanceolate, slender medially, transversely distributed with scattered, longer setae in line; sternites 2 – 5 weakly fused medially; suture well defined. Legs (Figs. 29, 31). Protibiae bidentate laterally, apical tooth acute (Fig. 29); tarsal claws symmetrically unidentate, abruptly curved apically with a small, vertical tooth at base. Pro- and mesofemora transversely flattened, surface densely clothed with long, hair-like, brown setae; metafemur stout, with shorter setae; apical portion of first metatarsus distinctly swollen; outer metatibial spur subequal in length to combined length of metatarsomeres 1 and 2 (Fig. 31); dorsal surface of tibiae and tarsi moderately clothed with pale white, scale-like, short robust setae; meso- and metatibiae with two elongate apical spurs; mesotibial spurs slightly shorter than length of mesotarsomere 1. Parameres (Figs. 43, 55). Symmetrical; basal piece subequal in length to paramere; lobes of parameres nearly straight at apex, slightly pointed at ends in dorsal view (Fig. 43), strongly curved, bent backwards at apex in lateral view (Fig. 55); dorsal process, clearly marked, slightly produced (Fig. 43), ventroapical process distinctly elongate and gradually acuminate apically with a small, crest-like protuberance on top of right paramere in lateral view (Fig. 55). Female unknown. Collecting circumstances. At light.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1379FFF0FF74FC6FFA82BCEF.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis. Melolontha arunachalensis new species differs from the other two species in the group (M. phupanensis and M. lachungensis new species) by its unique structure and shape of the parameres. See species key and Table 1 to distinguish the newly described species from M. phupanensis and M. lachungensis new species. The newly described species is similar in general appearance to Melolontha costipennis Fairmaire, 1889 (= M. tricostata Brenske, 1903) and M. tenuicauda Fairmaire, 1896, both of which are known from China (Tibet). Melolontha costipennis, placed under the aeneicollis group (Li et al. 2010), differs from the new species by a narrowly elongated pygidium at the apex (pygidium rounded at apex, not elongated in M. arunachalensis new species). Melolontha tenuicauda has a much shorter antennal club, as compared to M. arunachalensis new species.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1379FFF0FF74FC6FFA82BCEF.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The name (adjective in the nominative singular) refers to the Arunachal Pradesh state of India.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1379FFF0FF74FC6FFA82BCEF.taxon	distribution	Distribution. So far, only known from the type locality: India, Arunachal Pradesh, Pange Valley (Fig. 72).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1376FFF1FF74F9CBFBBFBEF3.taxon	description	(Figs. 4, 16, 43, 33 – 40, 44, 56)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1376FFF1FF74F9CBFBBFBEF3.taxon	materials_examined	Type locality. India, Sikkim, North Sikkim, Lachung Forest. Type material. Holotype, male, labelled: “ India, Sikkim, North Sikkim, Lachung Forest, 27 ° 18 ' 10.728 '' N, 88 ° 33 ' 36.864 '' E, 20. iv. 1992, leg. R. S. Mridha ” [NZSI]. Paratypes: 2 males with same data as holotype [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1376FFF1FF74F9CBFBBFBEF3.taxon	description	Description of holotype. Body length 23.3 mm, maximum body width 12.62 mm. Colour (Fig. 4). Pronotum, scutellum, venter, and legs reddish - brown; elytra light olive - green. Head (Figs. 33 – 34). Clypeus rectangular, apical angles rounded, slightly widened at apex; apical portion perpendicularly reflexed, moderately sinuate in frontal view; slightly convex medially; lateral angles planar; surface densely and evenly punctate, punctures large, each bearing a short, robust, erect seta, setae light yellowish-brown; clypeofrontal suture complete; centre of frons strongly concave, surface sparsely setose; side of eyes densely setose, setae moderately longer and more robust than those on clypeus; sides slightly narrowed making eyes larger. Antennae 10 segmented with 7 segmented club, lamellae strongly curved outwardly, 3.65 times as long as stem, antennomere 1 distinctly swollen apically, apical segment moderately elongate; labrum symmetrically bilobed, lobes transversally developed; mentum slightly concave centrally, surface glabrous with only a few scattered setae; maxillary palpi with apical palpomere subequal in length to combination of palpomeres 2 – 3; ocular canthus densely covered with brownish erect and robust setae. Pronotum (Fig. 35). Transverse, wid est in middle; basomedially protuberant posteriorly; surface densely to confluently punctate along lateral margin; puncture with a tiny, brownish seta; setae longer and more robust towards the centre; centre of pronotal disc sparsely punctate, punctures moderately large; sides of midline setose with spots consisting of concentrated brownish setae at apical sides of midline; setae dense along basomedial margin; serration of lateral margin poorly developed anteriorly, basal half of margin with completed bead. Scutellar plate (Fig. 36). Oval, surface lightly, sparsely punctate, glabrous; apical margin with a row of slender hair - like setae. Elytra (Fig. 4). Broadest at base; costae 1 – 3 (costa one as sutural costa) glabrous and well developed; costae 2 and 3 broadly fused on apical umbone; costa 4 feebly developed and hardly visible; outer margin of costa 1 with aligned row of whitish and scale - like setae; intervals rugose, intermixed with 2 types of whitish setae, lanceolate and scale - like (slender and smaller), both moderately densely distributed; posthumeral and 3 basal patches composed of overlapping, white, scale - like setae, posthumeral patch slender in shape; apical area of elytron steeply depressed below plane of disc, densely covered with whitish-brown, but tiny setae; epipleuron entirely setose, whitish-brown setae becoming gradually denser apically, posterior one third in a band; humeral umbone moderately swollen. Pygidium (Fig. 16). 1.52 times broader in width than length; anterior half with long, hair - like setae, remainder Triangular, intermixed with yellowish - white, scale - like setae; disc on either side slightly depressed medially; surface densely covered with whitish-brown, short setae; setae denser in apical portion; apex broadly rounded; lateral sides slightly curved. Venter (Fig. 38). Mesometasternal process weakly produced beyond mesocoxae, surface smooth with few hairs; meso- and metasternum with thick and dense hairs. Abdominal sternites (Fig. 40). Sternite 1 – 5 with a lateral maculation consisting of yellowish-brown, scale-like setae; maculation on sternite 6 distinctly present; abdominal surface moderately setose; setae small, whitish – brown to yellowish-brown, lanceolate and becoming slender medially, transversely distributed with scattered, longer setae in line; sternites 2 – 5 weakly fused medially; suture well defined. Legs (Figs. 37, 39) Protibiae unidentate, apical tooth acute (Fig. 37); tarsal claws symmetrically unidentate, abruptly curved apically with a small, vertical tooth at base. Pro- and mesofemora transversely flattened, surface densely clothed with long, hair-like, brown setae, posterior femur stouter, with shorter setae; apical portion of metatarsomere 1 distinctly swollen; outer metatibial spur subequal in length to combined length of metatarsomeres 1 and 2 (Fig 39). Tibiae and tarsi moderately clothed with pale – white, scale – like, short setae at dorsal surface; meso- and metatibiae with 2 elongate apical spurs; mesotibial spurs slightly shorter than length of mesotarsomere 1. Parameres (Figs. 44, 56). Symmetrical; basal piece subequal in length to paramere; lobes of parameres nearly rounded at apex, not pointed at end in dorsal view (Fig. 44), more or less straight in lateral view (Fig. 56); ventroapical process of paramere distinctly elongate and gradually acuminate with a strong, crest-like protuberance on top of right paramere in lateral view (Fig. 56); dorsal process marked and protuberant (Fig. 44). Female unknown. Collecting circumstances. At light.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1376FFF1FF74F9CBFBBFBEF3.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis. Melolontha lachungensis new species differs from the other two species in the group (M. phupanensis and M. arunachalensis new species) by the unique structure and shape of the parameres and unidentate protibiae. See species key and Table 1 to distinguish it from M. phupanensis and M. arunachalensis new species. The newly described species also shows similarities in general appearance to Melolontha costipennis Fairmaire, 1889 (= M. tricostata Brenske, 1903) and M. tenuicauda Fairmaire, 1896, both of which are known from China (Tibet). Melolontha costipennis, placed under the aeneicollis group (Li et al. 2010), differs from the new species by a narrowly elongated pygidium at the apex (pygidium rounded at apex, not elongated in M. lachungensis new species). Melolontha tenuicauda has a much shorter antennal club, as compared to M. lachungensis new species.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1376FFF1FF74F9CBFBBFBEF3.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The name (adjective in the nominative singular) refers to the type locality, Sikkim.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1376FFF1FF74F9CBFBBFBEF3.taxon	distribution	Distribution. So far, only known from the type locality: India, Sikkim (Fig. 72).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136FFFE9FF74FA6BFF12BE43.taxon	description	(Figs. 5, 17, 45, 57)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136FFFE9FF74FA6BFF12BE43.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, Himachal Pradesh: Kulu, Great Himalayan National Park, 1,953 m, 4. iv. 2018, 1 ♁, leg. S. K. Sajan [NZSI]. India, Uttarakhand: Chamoli, Valley of Flower National Park, 3,103 m, 15. vi. 2017, 1 ♁, leg. S. K. Sajan [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136FFFE9FF74FA6BFF12BE43.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to species key.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136FFFE9FF74FA6BFF12BE43.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Himachal Pradesh (Bates 1891) and Uttarakhand (new record); Pakistan (Keith & Saltin 2012).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FC98FDB1BAC2.taxon	discussion	Li et al. (2010) placed five species in this group: M. chinensis Guérin-Méneville, 1838 (China, India), M. frater Arrow, 1913 (Japan), M. taihokuensis Niijima & Kinoshita, 1923 (Taiwan), M. masafumii Nomura, 1952 (Japan), and M. tamina Nomura, 1964 (Japan).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FBE4FB33BE40.taxon	description	(Figs. 7, 19, 47, 59)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FBE4FB33BE40.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, Arunachal Pradesh: Namdapha National Park, Miao, 3. xii. 1982, 1 ♁, leg. S. Biswas [NZSI]. 1 ♁, without locality data, labelled, Hoplosternus chinensis, det. Brenske [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FBE4FB33BE40.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to the key to species groups.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FBE4FB33BE40.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Arunachal Pradesh (new record); China (Guérin-Méneville 1838) and Vietnam (Dalla Torre 1912).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FBE4FB33BE40.taxon	discussion	Remarks: Guérin-Méneville (1838) described this species from China with the following characteristics: body more or less flattened, elytra dark yellow with striae less marked, ventral portion black with dense and long whitish hairs, mesometasternal process straight, directed forward and rounded at the end, and antennae black, similar in both sexes. Dalla Torre (1912) reported this species from Tonkin (Vietnam). Li et al. (2010, fig. 15) noted that the parameres in the chinensis group have sharply pointed dorsal processes, surpassing the outer margin. Our record of M. chinensis from Arunachal Pradesh, India, is quite distant from the known distribution range of this species. However, the parameres in the specimen we observed (Figs. 47, 59) are indistinguishable from the figures from Li et al. (2010, Figs. 15, 19), and the general characteristics are similar to the original description.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FF4EFD64BBDF.taxon	description	(Figs. 6, 18, 46, 58)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FF4EFD64BBDF.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, Uttarakhand: Garhwal, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, 10. xii. 2009, 1 ♁, leg. Manish Bhardwaj [NZSI]. 1 ♁, without locality data, leg. Brenske [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FF4EFD64BBDF.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to species key.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FF4EFD64BBDF.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Himachal Pradesh (Mittal 2000; Pathania et al. 2015 a, b; Sreedevi et al. 2017; Rana et al. 2022 a, 2022 b), Haryana (Ghosh et al. 2020), Jammu & Kashmir (Arrow 1921), and Uttarakhand (Chandra et al. 2012); China (Tibet) (Blanchard 1871).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136DFFEBFF74FF4EFD64BBDF.taxon	biology_ecology	Host plant. Potato (Chandel et al. 2015).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FA02FC32BE59.taxon	description	(Figs. 10, 21, 49, 61)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FA02FC32BE59.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, Uttarakhand: Almora, Dinapani, 03. x. 2001, 1 ♁, leg. P. Mukhopadhyay [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FA02FC32BE59.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to species key.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FA02FC32BE59.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Nagaland (Brenske 1896 a) and Uttarakhand (new record); Bangladesh (Dalla Torre 1912) and Cambodia (Schoolmeesters 2023).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FA02FC32BE59.taxon	discussion	Remarks. As listed by Schoolmeesters (2023), the Cambodian record of this species needs to be further investigated, as the area is quite far from the known geographical range.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FF4EFC6EB833.taxon	discussion	There are four species in this group, M. carinata (Brenske, 1896), M. indica Hope, 1831, M. nepalensis (Blanchard, 1851) and M. malaccensis (Moser, 1913) (Malaysia) (Li et al. 2010).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FCDEFE46BCA7.taxon	description	(Figs. 8, 20, 48, 60)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FCDEFE46BCA7.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, Himachal Pradesh (now Uttarakhand): Almorah, Kumaon, 5,500 ft., 14. iii. 1901, 1 ♁, leg. C. Paiva, det. G. J. Arrow [NZSI]. Expedition of Himalayas, 1954, 1 ♁, leg. M. S. Mani. India, Uttarakhand: Garhwal, Piplakote, 15. viii. 1958, 2 ♁, leg. B. S. Lamba [NZSI]; Garhwal, Joshimath, 7,000 ft., 31. viii. 1958, 1 ♀, leg. B. S. Lamba [NZSI]; Nainital, 6. ix. 2005, 1 ♁, leg. S. K. Chatterjee [NZSI]; Bageswar, 2. ix. 2005, 1 ♁, leg. S. K. Chatterjee; Chamoli, 07. vii. 2004, 1 ♁, leg. SK Chakraborty [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FCDEFE46BCA7.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to species key.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FCDEFE46BCA7.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Himachal Pradesh (Bates 1891; Kumar et al. 2005) and Uttarakhand; Bangladesh (Dalla Torre 1912), China (Zhang 1988), and Nepal (Blanchard 1851).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136AFFECFF74FCDEFE46BCA7.taxon	biology_ecology	Host plants. As per Kumar et al. (2005), M. nepalensis cause variable extents of damage to maise and paddy crop and infests upland paddy.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEDFF74FB47FDB5BC42.taxon	discussion	Li et al. (2010) included six species under incana species group: M. furcicauda Ancey, 1881 (India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Pakistan, and Tajikistan); M. flabellata Sharp, 1876 (India); M. incana (Motschulsky, 1854) (China); M. insulana (Moser, 1918) (Taiwan); M. pseudofurcicauda Keith, 2008 (Tibet); and M. shanghaiana (Brenske, 1896) (China).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEDFF74FF4EFDA3BD79.taxon	description	(Figs. 10, 22, 50, 62)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEDFF74FF4EFDA3BD79.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, Sikkim: Kopethang, 95 km. from Gangtok, 24. iii. 1977, 1 ♀, leg. T. D. Shoot [NZSI]; Gangtok, Power, 10. ii. 1993, 1 ♀, leg. S. K. Chatterjee [NZSI]. India, Meghalaya: Jantia Hilla, Jowai, 16. ix. 1988, 1 ♀, leg. B. D. Srivastava [NZSI]. India, Arunachal Pradesh: Changlang, Namdhapa National Park, 29. x. 2015, 2 ♀, 31. x. 2015, 2 ♁, leg. A. Majumder [NZSI]. India, West Bengal: Alipurdwar, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Rajabhatkhawa, 26. x. 2017, 2 ♁, 27. x. 2017, 2 ♀, 28. x. 2017, 2 ♁ 1 ♀, 30. x. 2017, 1 ♁ 1 ♀, leg. Ram Singh [NZSI]. India, Assam: Cacher, Silchar, Poliya Tea Estate, 01. iv. 2018, 1 ♁, leg. Joyjit Ghosh [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEDFF74FF4EFDA3BD79.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to species key.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEDFF74FF4EFDA3BD79.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Arunachal Pradesh (new record), Assam (new record), Jammu and Kashmir (Bhat et al. 2005), Haryana (Mittal 1981), Himachal Pradesh (Chandra & Uniyal 2007; Pathania et al. 2015 a, 2015 b; Rana et al. 2022 a, 2022 b), Meghalaya (new record), Sikkim (new record), and Uttarakhand (Sushil et al. 2006; Lal & Sharma, 2017); Myanmar (Arrow 1946), Pakistan (Keith & Stalin 2012), Nepal (Ahrens et al. 2007), and China (Bezdĕk 2006).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEDFF74FF4EFDA3BD79.taxon	biology_ecology	Host. Potato (Chandel et al. 2015).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEEFF74F924FE70B8C0.taxon	description	(Figs. 11, 23, 51, 63)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEEFF74F924FE70B8C0.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, West Bengal: Govt. House Compound, Darjeeling, 2 ♁, May – June, 1912, leg. Lord Garmichael Collection [NZSI]; Darjeeling, 7000 ft, E. Himalayas, 1 ♁, 20. iv. 2014, leg. F. H. Gravely [NZSI]; Kurseong, E. Himalayas, 5000 ft., 1 ♁, leg. Jahans [NZSI]; Darjeeling, Ghumti, 4000 ft., vi. 1912, leg. unknown [NZSI]; Darjeeling, East Himalaya, 1 – 3000 ft. v. 1912, 1 ♁, leg. unknown [NZSI].	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEEFF74F924FE70B8C0.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to species key.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF136BFFEEFF74F924FE70B8C0.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Sikkim (Brenske 1896 a) and West Bengal (Darjeeling); Bangladesh (Sharp 1876) and China (Zhang 1988).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1368FFEEFF74FDE6FD45BED2.taxon	description	(Figs. 12, 24, 52, 64)	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1368FFEEFF74FDE6FD45BED2.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. India, Himachal Pradesh: Great Himalayan National Park, Dhagra, 17. v. 1996, 2 exs., leg. V. P. Uniyal [NZSI]; Solan, 30. vi. 1968, 1 ♁, leg. O. B. Chhotani; Kulu Manali, 03. vii. 1956, 1 ♀, leg. M. S. Mani; Chamba, Kalatop Khajjiar Wildelife Snctuary, Pithoragorh, Sangolihat, 24. v. 2010, 1 ♀, leg. A. K. Sindhu (NZSI). India, Ladakh: Hunder Forest Guest House, 28. viii. 2008, 3 ♁, 29. viii. 2008, 1 ♀, leg. K. Chandra [NZSI]; Ladakh, Leh, Phey, 18. viii. 2019, 10 ♀, leg. A. K. Sidhu (NZSI). India, Uttarakhand: Bageshwar, 30. ix. 2004, 1 ♁, 1 ♀, leg. D. R. Moulik (NZSI); Bageshwar, Chanoda, 29. viii. 2005, 1 ♀, leg. S. K. Chatterjee (NZSI); Nainital, 06. ix. 2005, 3 ♁, leg. S. K. Chhatterjee (NZSI); Nainital, Shila Lake, 07. viii. 2004, 1 ♁, leg. M. Ghosh (NZSI); Nainital, Naukoshiya, 05. viii. 2004, 1 ♀, leg. M. Ghosh (NZSI); Nainital, Bhowali, 08. ix. 2005, 4 ♁, leg. S. K. Chatterjee; Dehradun, Balowgunj, 14. viii. 1965, 2 ♁, leg. R. K. Bhatnagar (NZSI); Pithoragarh, Gangolihat, 05. ix. 2005, 2 ♀, leg. S. K. Chatterjee; Almora, near Almorah Circuit House, 11. ix. 2002, 1 ♁, leg. P. H. Roy (NZSI); Garhwal, Dhakwani, 14. viii. 1958, 1 ♀, leg. B. S. Lamba (NZSI).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1368FFEEFF74FDE6FD45BED2.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Refer to species key.	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1368FFEEFF74FDE6FD45BED2.taxon	distribution	Distribution. India: Haryana (Mittal 1981), Himachal Pradesh (Mittal 2000; Chandra & Uniyal 2007; Sood et al. 2009; Kumar et al. 2005; Kumar et al. 2007; Singh & Banyal 2013; Pathania et al. 2015 a, 2015 b; Rana et al. 2022 a, 2022 b), Jammu and Kashmir (Brenske 1896 a; Barlow 1899; Kumar et al. 2018), Ladakh (Ancey 1881; Arrow 1921; Feroz et al. 2015), Sikkim (Barlow 1899), Uttarakhand (Lal & Sharma 2017), and West Bengal (Darjeeling) (Barlow 1899); Afghanistan (Bezdĕk 2016), Bangladesh, China (Zhang 1988), Nepal (Brenske 1896 a), Pakistan (Keith & Saltin 2012), and Tajikistan (Bezdĕk 2016).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
BC1F87FF1368FFEEFF74FDE6FD45BED2.taxon	biology_ecology	Host records. Melolontha furcicauda cause variable extents of damage to maize crop and infests upland paddy, tea plantations and conifers (Kumar et al. 2005).	en	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): 191-216, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.2
