POLYGRAPHUS POLIGRAPHUS (L.) (COLEOPTERA CURCULIONIDAE SCOLYTINAE) AND ITS ASSOCIATED FUNGAL COMMUNITY COLONIZING PICEA ABIES (L) KARST. IN THE ITALIAN APENNINES

The ecology and distribution of P. poligraphus were investigated in several artificial spruce stands located along the Apennines. Results suggest that, in certain conditions, this species may play an active role, together with other bark beetles, in the decline of the Norway spruce Picea abies. Interestingly, in some spruce sites such as Abetone and Pratomagno, P. poligraphus was observed to colonize not only thin-diameter branches but also larger stems, being able to occupy various ecological niches on its host plants. Our findings highlighted that, this beetle, hitherto known in Italy only for some Alpine sites, was able to “follow” Picea abies in spruce formations along the Apennine ridge. That occurred in different as well as very distant and disjunct environments, with the site of Montedimezzo in “Alto Molise” (Isernia) representing the southernmost record in Italy. Moreover, Danielozyma ontarioensis a saprophyte ascomycetous yeast frequently isolated from this insect and other fungi such as Penicillium glabrum, Talaromyces rugulosus, Beauveria bassiana and Ophiostoma piceae species complex may be associated with this beetle. Key Words: Scolytinae, Norway spruce, Polygraphus poligraphus, associated fungi and yeasts, Italian peninsula