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Hylastes

Hylastes is a genus of crenulate bark beetles in the family Curculionidae.

Ecology

Hylastes is one of the most common genus of bark beetle observed in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Members of this genus are potentially vectors (primarily Hylastes nigrinus) for fungal species of the genus Leptographium (L. terebrantis and L. serpens). They allow for these fungi to spread into the roots of the loblolly pine trees causing high rates of mortality. This is currently considered an emerging forest health issue in the southeastern region of the United States.

Evolutionary history

There have been fossilized evidence of bark beetles originateing during the early Cretaceous period. Hylastes perkovskyi is an extinct species that was found in Rovno amber. This discovery of this species suggest that Hylastes evolved during the Eocene epoch.

Species

There are currently more than 90 species that belong to the genus Hylastes:

References

Further reading

External links