''Melolontha'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Scarabaeidae The family Scarabaeidae, as currently defined, consists of over 35,000 species of beetles worldwide; they are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family has undergone significant change. Several groups formerly tre ...

. The

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

cockchafer The common cockchafer (''Melolontha melolontha''), also colloquially known as the Maybug, Maybeetle, or doodlebug, is a species of scarab beetle belonging to the genus '' Melolontha.'' It is native to Europe, and it is one of several closely-rel ...

s belong to this genus.

Taxonomy

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus name (1762), but his book has been suppressed by the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, and the authority for the name is the later (1775) publication by

Johan Christian Fabricius Johann Christian Fabricius (7 January 1745 – 3 March 1808) was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others. He was a student of Carl Linnaeus, and is co ...

Species

The following is a list of species within the genus ''Melolontha'': *'' Melolontha aceris'' Faldermann, 1835 *'' Melolontha afflicta'' Ballion, 1870 *'' Melolontha albida'' Frivaldszky, 1835 *'' Melolontha anita''

Reitter Reitter is a German language, German occupational surname, which means a "mounted soldier" or "knight", from the Middle High German ''ritære'' ("equestrianism, horseman"). Notable people with the surname include: * Edmund Reitter (1845–1920), a ...

, 1902 *'' Melolontha argus'' Burmeister 1855 *'' Melolontha bifurcata'' (Brenske, 1896) *''

Melolontha chinensis ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

'' ( Guerin, 1838) *''

Melolontha ciliciensis ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

'' Petrovitz *''

Melolontha flabellata ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

'' Sharp, 1876 *''

Melolontha frater ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

Arrow An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...

, 1913 – Indonesia *''

Melolontha fuscotestacea ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

'' Kraatz, 1887 *''

Melolontha guttigera ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

'' Sharp, 1876 *''

Melolontha hippocastani ''Melolontha hippocastani'', the northern cockchafer, is a species of scarab beetle native to Eurasia, with its range spanning from Western Europe to the Pacific coast of China. It is one of several species in the genus '' Melolontha'' known as ...

'' Fabricius, 1801 – European forest cockchafer *'' Melolontha incana'' Motschulsky, 1853 *'' Melolontha insulana'' Burmeister, 1939 *'' Melolontha japonica'' Burmeister, 1855 *'' Melolontha kraatzi'' Reitter 1906 *'' Melolontha melolontha'' (

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point of modern zoologic ...

) – common European cockchafer *'' Melolontha papposa''

Illiger Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger (19 November 1775 – 10 May 1813) was a German entomologist and zoologist. He founded the entomological periodical ''Magazin für Insektenkunde.'' The plant genus '' Illigera'' is named in his honour. Biography Illi ...

, 1803 *''Melolontha pectoralis'' Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1812 – European large cockchafer *'' Melolontha rubiginosa'' *'' Melolontha rufocrassa'' Fairmaire, 1889 *''

Melolontha satsumaenis ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

'' Niijima & Kinoshita *'' Melolontha taygetana'' Rey, 1999 *''

Melolontha virescens ''Melolontha'' is a genus of beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. The European cockchafers belong to this genus. Taxonomy Linnaeus called the European cockchafer ''Scarabaeus melolontha''. Étienne Louis Geoffroy used ''Melolontha'' as a genus ...

'' Brenske, 1896

References

Scarabaeidae genera Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius Melolonthinae {{Melolonthinae-stub