Madagascar-radiation
Guides
Xyleborinus
Xyleborinus is a genus of ambrosia beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae, comprising over 80 described species. These beetles are fungus-farmers that excavate galleries in wood and cultivate symbiotic fungi as their primary food source. The genus includes economically significant species such as Xyleborinus saxesenii, which has been associated with rapid apple decline in North American orchards. Xyleborinus exhibits extraordinary morphological diversity, particularly in Madagascar where a recent radiation produced at least 32 endemic species following a single colonization event 8.5–11.0 million years ago.