J Appl Entomol. 2019;00:1–5. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jen
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1 © 2019 Blackwell Verlag GmbH
1 | INTRODUCTION
Eucalypts (genera Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora, from family
Myrtaceae) are native to Australia and some Pacific islands and include
more than 800 species, of which 740 belong to the genus Eucalyptus.
Several eucalypt species have been widely planted outside their native
range due to their fast growth, adaptability to a wide range of environ‐
mental conditions, and for their wood and non‐wood products (Hurley
et al., 2016; Rejmánek & Richardson, 2011). In the European continent,
Portugal has the largest area of eucalypt plantations proportional to
its country dimensions, with about 844,000 ha of plantations dom‐
inated by the Tasmanian blue gum, Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (ICNF,
2019). This species covers 1.3 million ha of forested area in Europe,
being the most important pulpwood tree planted in temperate regions
of the world (Cerasoli, Caldeira, Pereira, Caudullo, & de Rigo, 2016).
Eucalypts early established outside their native range have
typically benefited from a pest‐free environment, since they were
free from their natural phytophagous insects (Hurley et al., 2016;
Wingfield et al., 2008). However, across time several insects spe‐
cific to eucalypts have been imported into areas where these trees
are commercially planted (Hurley et al., 2016; Paine, Steinbauer,
& Lawson, 2011; Wingfield et al., 2008), with the main pests out‐
side their Australian native range being sap‐sucking insects (mainly
Psyllidae), defoliators and gall‐makers (Hurley et al., 2016), along
with wood‐boring insects of the genus Phoracantha (Cocquempot &
Lindelöw, 2010).
In addition to the pests sharing their native range with that of
eucalypts, other pests and pathogens have originated from plants
occurring naturally in the areas into which eucalypts have been in‐
troduced (Barradas et al., 2016; Wingfield et al., 2008). Shifting of
Received: 4 August 2019
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Revised: 20 August 2019
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Accepted: 31 August 2019
DOI: 10.1111/jen.12700
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Ambrosiodmus rubricollis (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera; Curculionidae;
Scolytinae) associated with young Tasmanian blue gum trees
Pedro Naves
1
| Helena Bragança
1
| Filomena Nóbrega
1
| Carlos Valente
2
1
Unidade Estratégica de Sistemas Agrários
e Florestais e Sanidade Vegetal, Instituto
Nacional de Investigação Agrária e
Veterinária, I.P. (INIAV), Oeiras, Portugal
2
RAIZ, Aveiro, Portugal
Correspondence
Pedro Miguel Naves, Unidade Estratégica
de Sistemas Agrários e Florestais e Sanidade
Vegetal; Instituto Nacional de Investigação
Agrária e Veterinária, I.P. (INIAV), Av. da
República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780‐159
Oeiras, Portugal.
Email: pedro.naves@iniav.pt
Funding information
INIAV, the RAIZ Institute and Altri Florestal
Abstract
Eucalypts are among the most widely planted forest trees in the world, and outside
their native Australian range, the main arthropod pests are sap‐sucking insects, defo‐
liators, gall‐making insects and xylophagous beetles. We report on a new association
between a polyphagous wood‐boring beetle and Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus
globulus Labill.) in Central Portugal. Unidentified wood‐boring insects were found
attacking two three‐year‐old E. globulus trees showing signs of decline among oth‐
erwise healthy trees in a commercial plantation, in June 2018. Declining trees pre‐
sented dead twigs and branches, and recently developed epicormic sprouts evident
on the trunks. Insects emerging from logs were identified as Ambrosiodmus rubricollis
(Eichhoff), a species native to eastern and southern Asia, with the taxonomic identi‐
fication validated by molecular analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first record of
A. rubricollis associated with a eucalypt species worldwide. It is not clear whether the
beetles played any significant role on the decline of the trees, but Ambrosiodmus may
be potential pests for several tree and shrub species in Europe, as these beetles can
transport pathogenic fungi.
KEYWORDS
ambrosia beetle, Eucalytpus globulus, exotic species, forest, portugal, xyleborini