First record of Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in the Mediterranean scrubland in Southern Italy, and its co-presence with the co-generic species X. compactus (Eichhoff) and X. crassiusculus (Motschulsky)

Abstract

In the Circeo National Park (Italy), a survey assessed the occurrence of the ambrosia beetle Xylosandrus germanus in addition to the conspecifics X. compactus and X. crassiusculus. This is the first report in Europe of the co-presence of three Xylosandrus species, in an evergreen Mediterranean maquis dominated by holm oaks (Quercus ilex L.). Although no damage caused by X. germanus has been observed, the richness of plant species in the Circeo National Park may allow the establishment of this highly polyphagous ambrosia beetle, possibly endangering this native ecosystem. The dominance in the associated fungal community of Ambrosiella grosmanniae and Fusarium spp. reflects a stable symbiotic relationship of these taxa with X. germanus.