Survey of scarabaeid (Coleoptera) fauna of Himachal Pradesh (India)

Systematic surveys were conducted in north-west parts of the country from 1972–1987 to explore the dung-beetle component of the insectan diversity. The scarhaeid fauna of Himachal Pradesh alone comprised 90 species representing 30 genera and 9 subfamilies, including four new taxa (self authored) and several others (*) recorded for the first time from the State. Among these, the coprophagous beetles were: Odontaeus orientalis Mittal of subfamily Geotrupinae, Hyhosorus orientalis Westw. of Hybosorinae and species crenatus Har., finctarius Oliv., marginellus F., moestus F., parvulus Har., Urostigma Har. of genus Aphodius of Aphodiinae. From subfamily Scarabaeinae, Copris punjabensis Gill.*, C. repertus Walk.*, C. sabinus Gill.*, C. sacontala Redt.*, C. sarpedon Redt., Catharsius molossas (L.), C. sagax (Quens.)*, Onitis excavatus Arrow*, O falcatus (Wulf)*. O. sabopacus Arrow*, Phalops divisus (Wied.)*, Caccobius denticollis Har., C. himalayanus (Jek.), C. ultor (Sharp)*, C. vulcanus (F.)*, Onthophagus aenescens Wied.*, O. amplexus Sharp*., O. atropolitus d'Orb.*, O. bonasus (F.)*, O. catta (F.)*, O. centricornis (F.)*, O. dama (F.)*. O. dubernardi Bouc.*, O. duporti Bouc.*; O. expansicornis Bates, O. falsus Gill.*, O. fasciatus Bouc.*, O. gagates Hope, O. gratus Arrow*, O. griseosetosus Arrow*, O. kuluensis Bates, O. marginalis (Gebl.), O. mopsus (F).* O. productus Arrow*, O. quadridentatus (F.)* O. quaestus Sharp*, O. ramosellus Bates, O. Ramosus (Wied.), O. tarandus (F.)*, O. tragus (F.)*, Drepanocerus setosus (Wied.)*, Oniticellus cinctus (F.)*, O. pallens (Oliv.)* O. pallipes (F.)*, O. spinipes Roth., Liatongus phanaeoides (Westw.)*, were present. From phytophagous beetles, subfamily Sericinae was represented by Serica khajiaris Mittal; Melolonthinae by Brahamina coriacea (Hope), B. cribricollis (Redt.), B. crinicollis Burm., Articephala himachali Mittal, Holotrichia longipennis (Blanch.), H. sikkimensis Brenske, Hilyotrogus holoserioeus (Redtb.), Melolontha cuprescens Blanch., M. furcicauda Ancey, M. indica Hope, Cryptotrogus pajnii Mittal; Rutelinae by Popillia cupricollis Hope, P. cyanea Hope, P. maccelellandi Hope*, P. pilosa Arrow*, Mimela fulgidivittata Blanch.*, M. horsfieldi Hope*, M. passerinii Hope*, M. pectoralis Blanch., Anomala alcocki (Brenske)*, A. bengalensis (Blanch.)*, A. cantori Hope*, A. dimidiata Hope*, A. lineatopennis Blanch., A. rufiventris Redt.*, A. stoliczkae Sharp*, A. xanthonota Arrow; Dynastinae by Xylotrupes gideon (L.)*, Oryctes nasicornis (L.)*, Phyllagnthus dionysius (F.)*: and Cetoniinae by Jumnos roylei (Hope)*, Glycyphana horsfieldi (Hope)*, Protaetia neglecta (Hope), Thaumstopeus pullus (Billb.), Clinteria klugi (Hope)*. The fauna is interesting due to different elements comprising the area representing an amalgamation of several zoogeographical regions/subregions.