Scolytidae

Definition

A former family-rank taxon of beetles now classified as the subfamily Scolytinae within Curculionidae (true weevils). These small, cylindrical beetles are commonly called bark beetles for the habit of many species in tunneling through the phloem of woody plants, though the group also includes species that bore into wood, feed in seeds or fruit, or inhabit herbaceous plants. The historical family name Scolytidae persists in older literature, museum collections, and some databases, but current taxonomy treats these beetles as a specialized clade of weevils rather than a separate family.

Etymology

From the type genus Scolytus (Greek skolytes, 'worm that eats wood'), with the family suffix -idae.

Example

Forest entomologists monitoring Dendroctonus ponderosae outbreaks must check both current literature (subfamily Scolytinae) and historical reports using the family name Scolytidae to compile complete distribution records.

Synonyms

• Scolytinae

Related Terms

• bark beetle
• Curculionidae
• phloem
• ambrosia beetle
• Dendroctonus
• Ips
• Scolytus
• weevil

Usage Notes

Scolytidae is now taxonomically obsolete at family rank, replaced by Scolytinae. However, the name remains common in applied forestry, agricultural extension, and legacy databases (e.g., GBIF, some regulatory documents). Specialists should verify whether cited sources use current or historical nomenclature. Contrast with Platypodinae (ambrosia beetles), sometimes grouped with or separate from Scolytinae depending on classification system. Not all Scolytinae feed on bark—some are seed predators or herb-borers—so 'bark beetle' is a functional, not strictly phylogenetic, grouping.