_____________Mun. Ent. Zool. Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2019__________ 504 RARE OCCURRENCE OF RHINOCEROS BEETLE (XYLOTRUPES TAPROBANES GANESHA SILVESTRE, 2003) IN TAMILNADU, INDIA N. Moinudheen*, A. Samson Arockianadhan**, D. Jayabalan*** and Jothimani**** * Defence Service Staff College Main Library 643231. Department of Zoology and Wild life Biology, Government Arts and Science College Udhagamandalam 643002, INDIA. ** Vulture Conservation and Ecology Research, Department of Zoology and Wild lifeBiology, Government Arts & Science College Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris Tamilnadu – 643002, INDIA. *** Assistant professer of Zoology and Wild life Biology , Government Arts and Science College Udhagamandalam 643002, INDIA. **** Department of Zoology and Wild life Biology , Government Arts and Science College Udhagamandalam 643002, INDIA. [Moinudheen, N., Samson Arockianadhan, A., Jayabalan, D. & Jothimani. 2019. Rare occurrence of Rhinoceros beetle (Xylotrupes taprobanes ganesha Silvestre, 2003) in Tamilnadu, India. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 14 (2): 504-507] ABSTRACT: Rhinoceros beetle (Xylotrupes taprobanes ganesha Silvestre, 2003) recently recorded from Nilgiri hills,Western Ghats. KEY WORDS: Rhinoceros beetle, Dynastinae, Xylotrupes taprobanes ganesha, Nilgiri hills, Western Ghats Dynastinae is subfamily of scarab beetle (Scarabidae) rhinoceros beetles are the largest extant insects on earth. Males have horns on the head and thorax. Xylotrupes is under the tribe of Dynastini. In this Genus are widely spread all over world. Major works on the Dynastinae of the world were done by Burmeister (1847). Arrow (1910) revised the Dynastinae research in the Indian sub-region. In india region Xylotrupes represent three species and two subspecies namely, Xylotrupes meridionalis meridionalis Prell, 1914: 216; India; type at ZMHB, Xylotrupes meridionalis taprobanes Prell, 1914: 2017; Sri Lanka; type at ZMHB, Xylotrupes mnizechi niszechi Thomson, 1859: 18; Himalay; type at MNHN and Two new subspecies: X. socrates nitidus Silvestre, 2003 from Andaman Islands. And X. taprobanes ganesha Silvestre, 2003 from south India. Chandra (2000) reported that 96 species of scarab beetles which includes a single species of dynastine beetle were recorded from Madhya Pradesh. Most of the researches were done in this species in the Northern Province of India. On 06-07-2018 Date and time we encountered the road kill specimen of X. taprobanes ganesha from Wellington, the Nilgiris (11.364N 76.794E), Tamil Nadu India. Silvestre (2003) generally stated the distribution of this species from Kerala and Tamil Nadu regions so far here after no works were done in this subspecies distribution so for in this region in X. taprobanes ganesha. This present observation shows the occurrence of X. taprobanes ganesha in Nilgiris since no studies were done in this species distribution this present observation ensure the occurrence of X. taprobanes ganesha in the Nilgiris show a light on this species ecological work in this region. Distribution: India: South India, Kerala, Tamilnadu (Silvestre, 2003). Description: Its horns and its body thickness and length, colour are based on their origin. Silverstere (2003) morphologically has explored this and has researched it _____________Mun. Ent. Zool. Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2019__________ 505 together with the combined species so that they could be compared to that species. So I have explained in detail the description of his morphological characters. Based on this, the species is known as Xylotropes taprobanes ganesha. Male: 58 mm (up to 53 mm horn Based on this, the creature is known as slutusns included). Average height, broad shape, quite massive; glabrous, weakly shiny, dark brown, usually elytra clearer. Clypus broad, weakly emarginated, sharp angles. Canthus ocular salient, very broadly rounded, with no marked angles, punctuated on the outer edge; sinuate cheeks Mentum broad, the sides lined with a strong punctuation. Short mandibles, the very unequal apial lobes: rounded outer lobe, well developed, shorter inner lobe, thin, dentiform, more or less acuminate (Fig. 1). Cephalic quite short and thin, very broadly flared into a Vshaped apical fork with widely diverging branches, barely bent; the posterior surface is not careened at the base, but generally presents a small projection at the birth of the fork, at the point of convergence of the internal hulls of this one, the external hulls extending on the sides of the come decreasing; width total apical fork approximately equal to 3⁄4 of its length. Pronotum large (about 1.3 wider than long), more or less trapezoidal, the lateral edges barely curved or slightly sinuate, posterior angle broadly rounded; slightly satiny appearance shining, regularly punctuated average punctuation, with an undisclosed lateral zone of round points larger and tighter, often umbilicated; anterior side practically smooth, glowing (Fig. 2). Short to medium thoracic horn implanted high on the disc, thin and slightly compressed laterally, the edges parallel or slightly flared towards the apex notched the triangle; a thin groove is frequently visible along the axis of the come; basal hulls slightly marked, not salient. Scutellum matte, punctuated-punctuated, clearly reborde. Elytres weakly shiny, broad and convex (about 1.13 times longer than their common width) (Fig. 3), finely and irregularly punctuated (some points often more clearly aligned) on a more or less chaotic background; sutural streak consisting of dots spaced a little bigger. Pygidium densely punctuated except at the apex, the bearing very dense silks. Short and dense enough, not very visible. Parameters of the landscape strongly sinate in lateral view, the apex is short and spatulate, the descending part has a small depression and a slight angulation on the inner edge (Fig. 4) (Silvestre, 2003). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are thankful to Defense Service Staff College Wellington Library Information Officer. Dr. Subramaniam, Assistant Librarian Murthi sir, Mrss.Shakila, Hakkim, Kannan and Jana, Sarath Kumar. And my brothers, Clement Kishore, Clement Kiran, Appu and Ragav during the studies. LITERATURE CITED Arrow, G. J. 1910. The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma. Coleoptera. Lamellicornia (Cetoniinae and Dynastinae). xiv+322 pp., 76 figs, 2 pls. Taylor & Francis, London. Burmeister, H. 1847. Handbuch der Entomologie V. Dynastinae, Berlin, 584 pp. Chandra, K. 2000. Inventory of scarabaeid beetles (Coleoptera) from Madhya Pradesh, India. Zoo's Print Journal, 15 (11): 359-353. Silvestre. 2003. The Xylotrups of continental Asia (Coleoptera, Dynastidae) roléoptère.e.2003, 9 (3): 19-35. _____________Mun. Ent. Zool. Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2019__________ 506 Figure 1. Short mandibles, broad shape, dark brown. Figure 2. The lateral edges barely curved or slightly sinuate anterior side practically smooth, glowing. _____________Mun. Ent. Zool. Vol. 14, No. 2, June 2019__________ 507 Figure 3. Short to medium thoracic horn, broad and convex. Figure 4. Pygidium densely punctuated except at the apex, the bearing very dense silks.