Revision of Indian Cyphochilus Waterhouse, 1867 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) with description of two new species
The genus Cyphochilus Waterhouse, 1867 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) comprises 62 species worldwide. A comprehensive examination of 260 specimens from Indiaincluding type material and additional specimens from institutional and private collectionsconfirms the presence of eight species in the country. This includes two new species, Cyphochilus kukriana Sreedevi, Sahoo & Sabatinelli, sp. nov. and C.pentaphysia Sreedevi, Sahoo & Sabatinelli, sp. nov., and the first Indian record of C.tenzingyatsoi Sabatinelli, 2020. The following synonymy is proposed: Cyphochilus niveosquamosus (Blanchard, 1851) = C.oberthueri Brenske, 1903. Based on the original descriptions and type localities, C.manipurensis Nonfried, 1893 and C.waterhousei Brenske, 1903 are also considered potentially referable to C.niveosquamosus. A systematic account, including detailed illustrations of the habitus and aedeagus for all species, along with an updated checklist of Indian Cyphochilus, is provided.
Authors
- K. M. Ajaykumara
- Boopathi Thangavel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4829-0257)
- Kolla Sreedevi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5242-0654)
- Guido Sabatinelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7197-0619)
- Kishore Chandra Sahoo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3749-756X)
- SATYA NAND SUSHIL (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5718-1629)
Institutions
- Gonzaga University (US)
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (IN)
- Natural History Museum of Geneva (CH)
- Ballari Medical College and Research Centre (IN)
- Assam Agricultural University (IN)
- University of Hyderabad (IN)
- HES-SO Genève (CH)
- NOAA Climate Program Office (US)
- Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (IN)
- Rajendra Hospital (IN)
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (FR)
- National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (IN)
- Pennsylvania Academy of Science (US)
- Mid-West University (NP)
- Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IN)
- Assam University (IN)
- Central Agricultural University (IN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Zootaxa
- Published
- 2025-09-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5693.2.4
- Primary Topic
- Scarabaeidae Beetle Taxonomy and Biogeography
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00