Phloeosinus Armatus Reitter (coleoptera Curculionidae Scolytinae) and Its Associated Fungal Community Colonizing Cupressus Sempervirens L. in Tuscany (italy)
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Cupressus sempervirens L., is native to the eastern Mediterranean basin and the Middle East. In the last decades, this plant has suffered severe and widespread damages produced by the virulent mitosporic fungus, Seiridium cardinale responsible for a pandemic disease referred to as “Cypress canker”. Since then, many studies have been conducted on insect vectors and associated plant pathogens but knowledge on the relationship between bark beetles and Cupressaceae-related fungi remains still scarce. In this work, ecological and bio-ethological observations were reported to shed light on the complex behavior of the bark beetle Phloeosinus armatus and its interactions with C. sempervirens in five selected sites of Tuscany. Moreover, the fungal communities associated with both P. armatus adults and its gallery systems were morphologically and molecularly investigated. Pestalotiopsis, Geosmithia and Penicillium were the most frequently recorded fungal taxa. Key Words: Bark beetle, Mediterranean Cypress, pest distribution, pathogenic fungi.
Source: Redia
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4407578999