Preinvasion Assessment of Exotic Bark Beetle-Vectored Fungi to Detect Tree-Killing Pathogens.

Exotic diseases and pests of trees have caused continental-scale disturbances in forest ecosystems and industries, and their invasions are considered largely unpredictable. We tested the concept of preinvasion assessment of not yet invasive organisms, which enables empirical risk assessment of potential invasion and impact. Our example assesses fungi associated with Old World bark and ambrosia beetles and their potential to impact North American trees. We selected 55 Asian and European scolytine beetle species using host use, economic, and regulatory criteria. We isolated 111 of their most consistent fungal associates and tested their effect on four important southeastern American pine and oak species. Our test dataset found no highly virulent pathogens that should be classified as an imminent threat. Twenty-two fungal species were minor pathogens, which may require context-dependent response for their vectors at North American borders, while most of the tested fungi displayed no significant impact. Our results are significant in three ways; they ease the concerns over multiple overseas fungus vectors suspected of heightened potential risk, they provide a basis for the focus on the prevention of introduction and establishment of species that may be of consequence, and they demonstrate that preinvasion assessment, if scaled up, can support practical risk assessment of exotic pathogens.

Description of a new species of Bothinodroctonus Schedl, 1969 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) from Africa.

A new species of Bothinodroctonus in the tribe Polygraphini is described from Gambia and Kenya. This is the first representative of the genus in Afrotropical region. A holotype based description contains also the intraspecific variety of the newly described species based on available specimens and differential diagnoses to species within the genus.

Taxonomic reappraisal of the European fauna of the bark beetle genus Cryphalus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae).

Species in the genus Cryphalus are small and notoriously difficult to identify. Even among the relatively well studied European species, erroneous identifications are evident from literature and in museum collections. These misidentifications relate to the small size and similar appearance of Cryphalus species but they are also a product of insufficient diagnostic characters. This is especially unfortunate since some European species are considered pests. Based on the study of more than 1000 specimens and a thorough literature review, robust morphological and molecular evidence supporting all five hitherto recognised native species of Cryphalus in Europe is provided. A key for the reliable identification of these repetition species including new diagnostic characters recognised for the first time, including those from male genitalia, has been constructed. Each native species is provided with a detailed morphological description and their economic significance, distribution, and ecology discussed. Significant genetic variability is observed between certain clusters that should be further explored in a broader geographic context. Lastly, the need for a taxonomic revision of the genus Cryphalus for the entire Palearctic region due to the presence of many similar looking species which are often confused, thus distorting the knowledge of each species is highlighted.

New species of Pseudothysanoes Blackman, and Sphaerotrypes Blandford (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) from Jammu and Kashmir, with biological observations, and a key to South Asian species of Sphaerotrypes.

Two new species of Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are described from Jammu and Kashmir, Pseudothysanoes kashmirica sp. nov. and Sphaerotrypes montanus sp. nov. These discoveries mark the first records of the genera Pseudothysanoes Blackman,1920 from South Asia and Sphaerotrypes Blandford, 1894 from the Northwestern Himalayan region. A discussion on the biology of the new species together with a complete key to the known species of Sphaerotrypes from South Asia are provided.

National Trade can Drive Range Expansion of Bark- and Wood-Boring Beetles.

Several native species of bark- and wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera) have expanded their range within their native biogeographic regions in the last years, but the role of human activity in driving this phenomenon has been underinvestigated. Here we analyze 3 yr of trapping records of native bark- and wood-boring beetles (Cerambycidae and Scolytinae) collected at 12 Italian ports and their surrounding forests to help elucidate the human role in the movement of native species within their native biogeographic region. We trapped several species that occurred either inside or outside their native distributional range within Italy. Species richness and abundance of those species found in the ports located within their native range were most strongly associated with the amount of forest cover in the surrounding landscape, suggesting that they could have arrived in the ports from the nearby forests. The abundance of the species found outside their native range was instead most strongly linked to the amount of national imports arriving at the port where trapping occurred, suggesting that they were likely introduced to the ports from other parts of Italy. This study demonstrates that national sea transportation can favor species range expansion within a country, and confirms that the forests that surround ports can serve as a source of species that can be potentially moved with exports.

First records of Cyclorhipidion fukiense (Eggers) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Xyleborini), an ambrosia beetle native to Asia, in North America.

The Asian ambrosia beetle, Cyclorhipidion fukiense (Eggers) was detected for the first time in North America based on three specimens trapped in 2012 from three localities in South Carolina and two other specimens intercepted at the port of Savannah, Georgia, in 2010. The species is characterized, illustrated with high-resolution images, and compared with two other congeneric, adventive species (C. bodoanum and C. pelliculosum) presently established in eastern North America. Morphometric measurements are provided and a provisional key is presented to the species of Cyclorhipidion occurring in North America.

Scolytinae in hazelnut orchards of Turkey: clarification of species and identification key (Coleoptera, Curculionidae).

Hazelnut, a very important cash crop in Turkey, is frequently colonized by bark and ambrosia beetle species (Scolytinae). Some scolytine species may cause economic damage while other species do not; therefore, proper identification is important in orchard management. Extensive sampling demonstrated that the most common pest species in Turkey's hazelnut orchards are Anisandrus dispar, Xylosandrus germanus, and Xyleborinus saxesenii. Hypothenemus eruditus can also be common, but only colonizes branches that are already dead. Lymantor coryli, Hypoborus ficus, Taphrorychus ramicola, and Taphrorychus hirtellus are rare and do not causes damage to live plants. Xyleborinus saxesenii appears to have been frequently misidentified and misreported as either L. coryli or Xyleborus xylographus. The former is rare, and the latter probably does not occur in Turkey. To avoid future misidentifications, a dichotomous identification key is provided for bark and ambrosia beetles of hazelnut orchards in Turkey.

New records of Iranian bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) and their host plants.

Bark and ambrosia beetles from the subfamily Scolytinae are among the most important pests in forests of Northern Iran. During investigations conducted in 2013-2016 in different parts of northern forests, the species Crypturgus cribrellus Reitter, Liparthrum bartschti Mühl, Scolytus varshalovitchi Michalski, Scolytus sulcifrons Rey, Scolytus triarmatus (Eggers) and Trypophloeus granulatus (Ratzeburg) were recorded for the first time in Iran; Trypophloeus and Liparthrum were new genera for Iran. As new host plants we found Zelkova sp. for Scolytus varshalovitchi, Michalski, Populus sp. for Liparthrum bartschti, Mühl, Alnus sp. and Pterocarya fraxinifolia for Taphrorychus lenkoranus Reitter, Pterocarya fraxinifolia for Ernoporicus caucasicus (Lindemann), Carpinus sp. for Pteleobius vittatus (Fabricius), Parrotia persica for Scolytus intricatus (Ratzeburg), Alnus sp. and Pterocarya fraxinifolia for Hypothenemus eruditus (Westwood).

Occurrence of spruce bark beetles in forest stands at different levels of air pollution stress.

The spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus (L.) is the most serious pest of mature spruce stands, mainly Norway spruce, Picea abies (L.) Karst. throughout Eurasia. A complex of weather-related events and other environmental stresses are reported to predispose spruce stands to bark beetle attack and subsequent tree mortality; however the possible role of industrial pollution as a predisposing factor to attack by this species is poorly understood. The abundance and dynamics of I. typographus populations was evaluated in 60-80 year old Norway spruce stands occurring on 10 x 50 ha sites in five countries within the Carpathian range that were selected in proximity to established ozone measurement sites. Data were recorded on several parameters including the volume of infested trees, captures of adult beetles in pheromone traps, number of attacks, and the presence and relative abundance of associated bark beetle species. In several cases, stands adjacent to sites with higher ozone values were associated with higher bark beetle populations. The volume of sanitary cuttings, a reflection of tree mortality, and the mean daily capture of beetles in pheromone traps were significantly higher at sites where the O(3) level was higher. However, the mean infestation density on trees was higher in plots associated with lower O(3) levels. Captures of beetles in pheromone traps and infestation densities were higher in the zone above 800 m. However, none of the relationships was conclusive, suggesting that spruce bark beetle dynamics are driven by a complex interaction of biotic and abiotic factors and not by a single parameter such as air pollution.

Five new species of Triotemnus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) from Morocco and Yemen.

Fivenew species of the genus Triotemnus from Morocco and Yemen are described. Triotemnus is a new genus of Scolytinae for the Yemen region. External morphology of the new species and all morphologically related species of the genus were studied. While the new species from Morocco are morphologically similar to the known species from the corresponding region, all three newly described species from Yemen, mainly two of them living in Socotra, are morphologically very different from all other known species of the genus. Geographical distribution and the probability of endemicity are discussed.

First records of Xyleborinus octiesdentatus (Murayama) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) from North America.

Xyleborinus octiesdentatus (Murayama), an ambrosia beetle native to Asia, is reported for the first time in North America based on specimens from Alabama and Louisiana. This is the twenty-first species of exotic Xyleborina documented in North America. A re-description of the female and a key to the four North American species of Xyleborinus are presented.