Studies on a Collection of Family Scarabaeidae (Coleoptera: Insecta) from Nagaland, India

Scarab beetles are a group of insects under the family Scarabaeidae belonging to superfamily Scarabaeoidea of Order Coleoptera. The family includes 33,504 species globally, out of which about 2,211 species are reported from India. The state Nagaland, situated in the Northeast biogeographic zone of India, has been less explored and less information is published for scarab beetles. The specimens for the study were collected using light trap and from dungs, waste matter, and carrion. The study revealed a total of 62 species belonging to 34 genera and 5 subfamilies of family Scarabaeidae from Nagaland state, India. Five species: Catharsius molossus (Linnaeus, 1758), Paracopris punctulatus (Wiedemann, 1823), Liatongus mergacerus (Hope, 1831), Liatongus vertagus (Fabricius, 1798) [Scarabaeinae], and Anomala varicolor (Gyllenthal, 1817) [Rutelinae] are reported for the first time from the state. Scarabaeinae (16 species) was the dominant subfamily followed by Melolonthinae, Rutelinae, Cetoniinae, and Dynastinae. Maladera is the dominant genus with 8 species. This study documented the present status and diversity of scarab beetles in Nagaland that will help in the proper conversation of scarab beetle diversity in future. The species from Intanki National Park were studied for the first time. The forests, vegetation, and wildlife of Nagaland state should be appropriately conserved. Otherwise the diversity and abundance of faunal and floral diversity may be affected.