Fungal-associate
Guides
Alniphagus aspericollis
alder bark beetle
Alniphagus aspericollis is a hardwood-killing bark beetle that colonizes and kills red alder (Alnus rubra) and thinleaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia). Unlike most tree-killing bark beetles that attack conifers, this species is one of the few capable of directly killing hardwood hosts. It is bivoltine in southwestern British Columbia, with principal attacks in May and a second generation from mid-July to early August. The beetle constructs maternal galleries parallel to the bole in the phloem-cambium, where larvae develop and pupate. It shows loose associations with ophiostomatoid fungi but has a consistent relationship with an undescribed Neonectria species that may function as a symbiote.
Cainosternum imbricatum
Cainosternum imbricatum is a small beetle species in the family Leiodidae, first described by Notman in 1921. It belongs to a genus of beetles associated with decaying organic matter and fungal habitats. The species is known from limited collection records in the eastern United States. As with many Leiodidae, it likely inhabits moist, decomposing substrates, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Epuraea helvola
Epuraea cf. helvola is a small sap beetle in the family Nitidulidae, characterized by its compact, oval body form and association with fermenting plant materials. The 'cf.' designation indicates the identification is provisional and based on morphological comparison rather than definitive confirmation. Members of this genus are frequently encountered in decaying vegetation, fungal fruiting bodies, and other microhabitats rich in yeasts and fungal growth. The species epithet 'helvola' (meaning tawny or yellowish-brown) likely references its coloration.
Euplatypus compositus
pinhole borer
Euplatypus compositus is a species of pinhole borer beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is found in the southeastern United States and has been recorded from Brazil (Pará and Rio de Janeiro states). The species is known to be associated with at least four species of Raffaelea fungi, indicating a symbiotic relationship with these fungal associates.
Gyrophaena meduxnekeagensis
Gyrophaena meduxnekeagensis is a small rove beetle (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) described from eastern Canada in 2009. As a member of the genus Gyrophaena, it is associated with fungal habitats, particularly polypore bracket fungi. The species is currently known from a limited number of records in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec.
Hallomenus scapularis
Hallomenus scapularis is a species of polypore fungus beetle in the family Tetratomidae, first described by Melsheimer in 1846. It is found in North America, with records from Canada (British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario) and the United States. The species belongs to a small family of beetles associated with fungal habitats.
Mezira sayi
Mezira sayi is a species of flat bug in the family Aradidae, a group of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies. The species was described by Kormilev in 1982. It is native to North America. Flat bugs in this family are typically associated with decaying wood and fungal habitats.
Monotoma producta
root-eating beetle
Monotoma producta is a species of small beetle in the family Monotomidae, commonly referred to as root-eating beetles. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1855 and is known to occur in North America, with documented records from Canada including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Like other members of Monotomidae, it is associated with decaying plant material and fungal environments. The species remains poorly documented in scientific literature beyond basic taxonomic and distributional records.
Mycetina hornii
handsome fungus beetle
Mycetina hornii is a species of handsome fungus beetle in the family Endomychidae, first described by Crotch in 1873. It is recorded from North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in published literature. The genus Mycetina belongs to a group of beetles commonly associated with fungal habitats.
Oxyporus lateralis
Oxyporus lateralis is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, originally described by Gravenhorst in 1802. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Pseudoxyporus lateralis, reflecting taxonomic revisions within the Oxyporinae subfamily. It is distributed across eastern North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Like other members of Oxyporinae, it is associated with fungal habitats, particularly mushrooms.
Oxyporus major
Oxyporus major is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Oxyporinae. It is found across eastern North America, from Canada to the southeastern United States. As a member of the Oxyporinae, it is associated with fungal habitats, particularly polypore bracket fungi.
Pallodes austrinus
A small sap-feeding beetle in the family Nitidulidae, described in 1988 from North American specimens. Adults are 3–4 mm long and have been documented on fruiting bodies of various mushroom genera. The species is one of the more recently described members of the genus Pallodes.
Platydracus cinnamopterus
Cinnamon-winged Rove Beetle
Platydracus cinnamopterus is a large rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, distributed across eastern and central North America. The species is characterized by its cinnamon-colored wing covers (elytra), which provide the specific epithet 'cinnamopterus' (cinnamon-winged). Like other members of the genus Platydracus, it is a predatory beetle commonly associated with decaying organic matter and fungal habitats.
Proteinus collaris
Proteinus collaris is a small rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Hatch in 1957. It belongs to the subfamily Proteininae, a group of beetles often associated with fungal habitats. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America, with records from coastal British Columbia, Washington, and Alaska. Like other members of the genus Proteinus, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter and fungal fruiting bodies.