Xylosandrus compactus associated fungi

Ambrosia beetles such as Xylosandrus spp. establish a symbiosis with microfungi. Some fungal taxa such as Ambrosiella xylebori are providing the diet for the larvae of the insects in the galleries where they find an optimal environment for their growth. Others, such as Fusarium spp. or Raffaelea spp. , are pathogenic to host plants causing different level of damages including shoot wilt, necrosis and stem cankers. Symbiotic fungi are associated to a specific structure of the insect, the mycangium, but are also present on other parts of the insect body.