Ambrosiophilus atratus ( Eichhoff 1875 ) Eichhoff, 1875

Hulcr, Jiri & Cognato, Anthony I., 2009, Three new genera of oriental Xyleborina (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), Zootaxa 2204, pp. 19-36 : 22-23

Ambrosiophilus atratus ( Eichhoff 1875) comb. n.

Previous genus: Xyleborus

Compared to (unspecified) “ type ” in BMNH.

Diagnosis: Superficially resembles some Anisandrus spp., but has no pronotal tuft, and the antennae are not flat and type 1, but oblique, type 3. Conspicuous punctures on pronotum. It differs from most other Ambrosiophilus by having a less steep elytral declivity with virtually no tubercles, but the declivital stria 1 is impressed as in most Ambrosiophilus .

Length: 3.0– 3.2 mm.

Discussion. In a Bayesian multi-gene phylogeny (Cognato et al., in prep.) the species falls within the Ambrosiophilus clade with 100% posterior probability. Superficially it resembles Ambrosiodmus , but it has key Ambrosiophilus characters. The species is transferred to the latter genus based on the absence of pronotal discal asperities and the overall shape of pronotum, which is not globular but has a flat disc.

Biology: The species is native to temperate and subtropical East Asia and has been recently introduced to North America ( Rabaglia et al. 2006). The species does not parasitize other ambrosia beetle fungal gardens; each individual female creates her own independent gallery.

Examined material: Japan, ( BMNH, 5 indiv.); Japan, (unspecified " type ", BMNH); USA, MI, Clinton Co., Rose Lake Wildlife Res. Area. 21.ix.2006. A. Cognato coll. ( MSUC, 9 indiv.); USA, MI, Cassopolis, Acer , (Hulcr coll. 2007, 3 indiv.); USA, MI, Cassopolis, Fagus grandifolia , (Hulcr coll. 2007); USA, MI, Ionia State Park, Carya sp., (Hulcr coll. 2007, 28 indiv.); additional distribution records in Wood & Bright, 1992, and Rabaglia et al., (2006).