Predators of Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) species of the coniferous forests in the Western Mediterranean Region, Turkey.

Abstract

Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) species cause economically damage every year in coniferous forests of the Western Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Among these species especially Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston), Orthotomicus tridentatus Eggers, Tomicus destruens (Wollaston), Tomicus minor (Hartig), Ips sexdentatus (Boerner) and Pityokteines curvidens (Germar) are the most common. The number of trees being killed by Scolytinae species has increased significantly in recent years throughout the region. Predator species are important factors in the dynamics of these pests. In this study, it was aimed to determine predator species of bark beetles in the coniferous forests of Western Mediterranean Region. Specimens were collected from 24 sites throughout the region between 2006 and 2008. Totally nineteen predator species of Scolytinae belonging to ten families of three orders were presented from the Western Mediterranean Region of Turkey in bark beetle galleries on coniferous trees. Among these species Plegaderus vulneratus (Panzer), Nemosoma pliginskyi Reitter and Nemosoma cornutum Sturm were the first records for the Turkish fauna. Aulonium ruficorne (Olivier), Corticeus fraxini (Kugelann), Thanasimus formicarius (Linnaeus), Raphidia ophiopsis Linnaeus, Rhizophagus depressus (Fabricius) and Temnochila coerulea (Olivier) were found as the most common predator species.