Symbiotic-fungi
Guides
Euplatypus parallelus
Common Ambrosia Beetle
Euplatypus parallelus is a polyphagous ambrosia beetle in the weevil family Curculionidae. Native to Central and South America, it has spread invasively to Africa, tropical Asia, and other regions, likely via timber trade. Adults bore galleries into tree trunks and cultivate symbiotic fungi for food, causing wood staining and economic damage in forest plantations. The species is attracted to ethanol and plant volatiles, with flight activity strongly influenced by temperature and precipitation.
Hylurgus ligniperda
Goldenhaired Bark Beetle, Red-haired Bark Beetle
Hylurgus ligniperda is an invasive bark beetle native to Europe that has established populations across multiple continents. It is a significant forest pest primarily associated with pine trees (Pinus spp.), where it colonizes roots and lower trunk sections. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in acoustic communication: males produce stridulatory sounds during courtship and disturbance, while females are silent. Its invasion success is facilitated by symbiotic relationships with ophiostomatoid fungi and diverse bacterial communities that assist with host adaptation, detoxification of plant secondary metabolites, and tolerance to environmental temperature fluctuations.
Melittomma
Melittomma is a genus of ship-timber beetles (family Lymexylidae) comprising approximately 20 described species distributed pantropically. The genus is notable for larvae that bore into hardwoods and palm stems, with some species forming symbiotic associations with ambrosia fungi. Melittomma insulare is a serious pest of coconut palms in the Seychelles and Madagascar, causing structural damage that can lead to tree collapse. Adult females deposit fungal spores in a sticky matrix with their eggs, and larvae carry spores into wood on their bodies.
Xylosandrus
Xylosandrus is a genus of ambrosia beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae, family Curculionidae, containing approximately 54 species globally. The type species is Xyleborus morigerus (Blandford, 1894). Species in this genus are fungus-farming beetles that excavate gallery chambers in wood, introduce symbiotic fungi, and feed on fungal growth rather than wood tissue. Several species, including X. crassiusculus and X. germanus, have become invasive pests of ornamental and fruit trees in North America and elsewhere.