Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-21
Page range: 207-240
Abstract views: 41
PDF downloaded: 1

Updates on the taxonomy of the Neoserica calva group from continental Southeast Asia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericinae)

Museum Koenig; Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB); Adenauerallee 127; 53113 Bonn; Germany.
Museum Koenig; Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB); Adenauerallee 127; 53113 Bonn; Germany.; Institute of Biology; Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology; 18 Hoang Quoc Viet; Cau Giay; Hanoi; Vietnam.
Coleoptera New species China Vietnam Myanmar scarab chafers

Abstract

Here we provide an update on the taxonomy of the Neoserica calva group. We describe 16 new species from China and Indochina: Neoserica basiappendicis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. capta Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. chunlinlii Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. danashan Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. duoyishu Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. mauson Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. musemanang Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. ngoclinh Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. phuloc Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. processoventralis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. saola Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. seideli Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. serratifemoralis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. tramlap Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. trichodorsalis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., and N. zixi Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov. Our work also resulted in one new combination: Neoserica dragon (Miyake & Yamaya, 2001) comb. nov. We provide images of habitus and male genitalia for the new species, update the identification key, and provide further new records.

References

  1. Ahrens, D. (2000) Synopsis der Gattung Gastroserica Brenske, 1897 des ostasiatischen Festlandes (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Sericini). Entomologische Abhandlungen, 59, 73–121.
  2. Ahrens, D. (2003) Zur Identität der Gattung Neoserica Brenske, 1894, nebst Beschreibung neuer Arten (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Sericini). Koleopterologische Rundschau, 73, 169–226.
  3. Ahrens, D. (2004) Monographie der Sericini des Himalaya (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Dissertation.de - Verlag im Internet GmbH, Berlin, 534 pp.
  4. Ahrens, D. (2005a) A taxonomic review on the Serica (s. str.) MacLeay, 1819 species of Asiatic mainland (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). Nova Supplementa Entomologica, 18, 1–163.
  5. Ahrens, D. (2005b) Taxonomic revision of the genus Anomalophylla Reitter, 1887 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae: Sericini). Zootaxa, 1076 (1), 1–62. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1076.1.1
  6. Ahrens, D. (2005c) New material of the genus Lasioserica Brenske, 1896 with the description of four new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini). Linzer Biologische Beiträge, 37 (1), 771–781.
  7. Ahrens, D. (2006a) Revision und phylogenetische Analyse der Gattung Pachyserica Brenske, 1897 (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Sericini). Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 113, 487–557. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.80360
  8. Ahrens, D. (2006b) The phylogeny of the genus Lasioserica inferred from adult morphology – implications on the evolution of montane fauna of the south Asian orogenic belt (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 44, 34–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0469.2005.00340.x
  9. Ahrens, D. (2006c) Sericinae. In: Löbl, I. & Smetana, A. (Eds.), Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Vol. 3. Scarabaeoidea – Scirtoidea – Dascilloidea – Buprestoidea – Byrrhoidea. Apollo Books, Stenstrup, pp. 229–248.
  10. Ahrens, D. (2007a) Revision der Serica nigroguttata Brenske, 1897 - Gruppe (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Sericini). Bulletin de l’Institut Royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, 77, 5–37.
  11. Ahrens, D. (2007b) Taxonomic changes and an updated catalogue for the Palaearctic Sericini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa, 1504 (1), 1–51. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1504.1.1
  12. Ahrens, D. (2022) A new Gynaecoserica Brenske, 1897 species and further new bicolored species of the Neoserica calva group (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae, Sericini). Zootaxa, 5165 (2), 180–190. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5165.2.2
  13. Ahrens, D. & Bezděk, A. (2016) Sericini. In: Löbl, I. & Löbl, D. (Eds.), Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Vol. 3. Scarabaeoidea – Scirtoidea – Dascilloidea – Buprestoidea - Byrrhoidea. 2nd Edition. Revised and Updated Edition. Brill, Leiden, pp. 281–317. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004309142_003
  14. Ahrens, D. & Bezděk, A. (2024) Catalogue of Palaearctic Sericinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) – Revised and updated 4th edition. Zootaxa, 5520 (1), 001–064. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5520.1.1
  15. Ahrens, D. & Fabrizi, S. (2009) A review on the genus Gynaecoserica Brenske, 1897 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). Journal of Natural History, 43, 1505–1584. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222930902968809
  16. Ahrens, D. & Pham, P. (2021) Additions to the Neoserica calva group from continental South East Asia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Sericini). Zootaxa, 5032 (3), 357–378. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5032.3.3
  17. Ahrens, D., Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M. & Yang, X.K. (2014a) A taxonomic review of the Neoserica (sensu lato) septemlamellata group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini). ZooKeys, 402, 76–102. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.402.7360
  18. Ahrens, D., Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M. & Yang, X.K. (2014b) A taxonomic review of the Neoserica (sensu lato) abnormis group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini). ZooKeys, 439, 28–82. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.439.8055
  19. Ahrens, D., Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M. & Yang, X.K. (2014c) A revision of the species of the Neoserica (sensu lato) vulpes group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini). Journal of Natural History, 49 (17–18), 1073–1130. [online version, printed: 2015] https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2014.974707
  20. Ahrens, D., Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S. & Bai, M. (2021a) Taxonomic review on the Trioserica Moser, 1922 species of China (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Sericini). Zootaxa, 4999 (4), 343–355. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4999.4.4
  21. Ahrens, D., Liu, W., Pham, P. & Fabrizi, S. (2021b) An overview of the genus Amiserica (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae, Sericini). Zootaxa, 5050 (1), 1–63. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5050.1.1
  22. Ahrens, D., Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S. & Bai, M. (2022) Taxonomic revision of the species of Serica MacLeay, 1819 (sensu lato) from China and adjacent areas (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae, Sericini), with an update on Nipponoserica Nomura, 1972. Zootaxa, 5186 (1), 1–83. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5186.1.1
  23. Ahrens, D., Wipfler, B., Lukic, D. & Pham, P. (2024) A revision of the Trioserica species from continental southeast Asia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Sericini). Insect Systematics & Evolution, 55, 227–339. https://doi.org/10.1163/1876312X-bja10057
  24. Ahrens, D., Blume, C. & Pacheco, T.L. (2025) The Sericinae collection of Petr Pacholátko found a new home: the Museum Koenig Bonn (Germany) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Koleopterologische Rundschau, 95, 121–134.
  25. Eberle, J., Fabrizi, S., Lago, P. & Ahrens, D. (2017) A historical biogeography of megadiverse Sericini – another story “out of Africa”? Cladistics, 33, 183–197. https://doi.org/10.1111/cla.12162
  26. Fabrizi, S., Dalstein, V. & Ahrens, D. (2019) A monograph on the genus Tetraserica from the Indochinese region (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). ZooKeys, 837, 1–155. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.837.32057
  27. Fabrizi, S., Liu, W.G., Bai, M., Yang, X.K. & Ahrens, D. (2021) A monograph of the genus Maladera of China (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). Zootaxa, 4922 (1), 1–400. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4922.1.1
  28. Frey, G. (1972) Neue Sericinen der Klapperich-Ausbeute aus Fukien des Alexander Koenig Museum in Bonn (Col., Scarab., Melolonth.). Entomologische Arbeiten aus dem Museum G. Frey, 23, 162–177.
  29. Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M., Yang, X.K. & Ahrens, D. (2014a) A taxonomic revision of the Neoserica (sensu lato) pilosula group (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). ZooKeys, 440, 89–113. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.440.8126
  30. Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M., Yang, X.K. & Ahrens, D. (2014b) A taxonomic revision of the Neoserica (sensu lato) calva group (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). ZooKeys, 448, 47–81. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.448.8368
  31. Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M., Yang, X.K. & Ahrens, D. (2014c) A taxonomic review on the species of Tetraserica Ahrens, 2004, of China (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). ZooKeys, 448, 83–121. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.448.8429
  32. Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M., Yang, X.K. & Ahrens, D. (2016) A taxonomic revision of Neoserica (sensu lato): the species groups N. lubrica, N. obscura and N. silvestris (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). ZooKeys, 635, 123–160. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.635.9915
  33. Liu, W.G., Bai, M., Yang, X.K. & Ahrens, D. (2017) New species and records of Lasioserica and Gynaecoserica from China (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini). Bonn Zoological Bulletin, 66 (1), 29–36.
  34. Liu, W.G., Fabrizi, S., Bai, M., Yang, X.K. & Ahrens, D. (2019) A taxonomic revision of Chinese Neoserica (sensu lato): final part (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini). Bonn zoological Bulletin, Supplement, 64, 1–71. https://doi.org/10.20363/BZB-S-2019.64
  35. Miyake, Y. & Yamaya, S. (2001) Some scarabaeid beetles belonging to the tribe Sericini (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) from highlands of western China, with descriptions of new genera and species. Bulletin of the Nagaoka Municipal Science Museum, 36, 35–44.

How to Cite

Ahrens, D. & Pham, P.V. (2026) Updates on the taxonomy of the Neoserica calva group from continental Southeast Asia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericinae). Zootaxa, 5814 (2), 207–240. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5814.2.3