Scientists discover previously unidentified fungi in symbiosis with a unique beetle species
A study of the rare Ambrosia beetle „fir pinhole borer” has led to significant discoveries. A team of researchers from the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences has identified a unique community of fungi that enables the beetle to thrive in indigestible fir wood. This research has resulted in the identification of three new species and one previously unknown genus of microscopic fungi.
This discovery is important across multiple fields, including mycology, biotechnology, and forestry entomology. The investigation focused on the fir pinhole borer (Treptoplatypus oxyurus), which is found in Slovakia, and the collection of this exceptionally rare beetle played a key role in the findings.
“Treptoplatypus oxyurus is a type of core beetle, a group that comprises thousands of tropical species, with only two known native species residing in Europe. Recently, Slovak colleagues discovered it in Slovakia, which made the entire study possible,” explains forestry entomologist Miloš Knížek from the Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, who contributed to the research.
Fungi farmers with a diverse “garden”
“Core beetles are unique because they create tunnels in indigestible wood. They carry symbiotic fungi in specialized organs on their bodies called mycangia, which they actively cultivate within these tunnels. The beetles maintain and graze their fungal gardens. Each species of ambrosia beetle has its own distinct type of fungi. For example, Treptoplatypus oxyurus has been difficult to study due to its rarity”, according to Jiří Hulcr, a leading expert on core beetles who works at the Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the University of Florida. Scientists have discovered an unusually high number of previously unknown organisms in their samples.
Photo: Infected silver fir, authors’ archive
“Among the five main symbionts (fungi) identified in the beetle’s body and its galleries, one represents a completely new genus, three are new species, and the other two belong to extremely rare taxa. The discovery of such a concentration of new organisms is extraordinary. A significant proportion of these taxa, known as endemic, are found nowhere else, drawing a comparison to the Galapagos archipelago. Miroslav Kolařík, the lead author of the study from the Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, describes this region as the ‘Galapagos of the fungal kingdom,’ located near Zvolen.”
Fungi that kill trees and help in the food industry
Why is it important to study these tiny fungi? Many beetles from the genus Ambrosia are forest pests, and the fungi associated with them help weaken the defences of the trees they attack. A newly discovered genus and species, Wilhelmdebeerea oxyuri, belongs to the group of fungi responsible for the phenomenon known as blue-staining of wood. These fungi can kill healthy trees, making it easier for ambrosia beetles to colonise them.
Studying these beetles is also crucial for the food industry. Fungi are nutritious and do not produce toxic substances. Inside the guts of wood-destroying beetles, researchers seek yeasts that can tolerate highly acidic environments with minimal oxygen. This study includes biochemical tests and the characterisation of the entire genome sequence.
“Our analysis confirmed that the yeasts we discovered are capable of digesting a wide range of sugars found in wood. This ability allows previously inaccessible nutrients to be available to the beetle. Although these yeasts require oxygen for decomposition, which limits their use in bioethanol production, their versatility presents numerous opportunities in biotechnology,” says co-author Renata Vadkertiová from the Institute of Chemistry and the Centre for Glycomics at the Slovak Academy of Sciences.
The naming of the new yeast species is symbolic. Sugiyamaella casensis and Blastobotrys sasensis are named after the English abbreviations for the Czech (CAS) and Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS), highlighting the collaboration between Czech and Slovak researchers.
Photo: The Ambrosia beetle Treptoplatypus oxyurus. The female beetles possess a mycangium, an organ that facilitates the transfer of fungi. A close-up view reveals the mycangium as a cluster of pits. (Source: Authors’ archive)
This study demonstrates that even in European forests, there exist remarkably complex and hidden microbial ecosystems waiting to be explored. Discovering these requires a multidisciplinary approach that brings together specialists in forest entomology, microbiology, genetics, and chemistry.
The research was published in the prestigious international journal IMA Fungus.
Publication: Kolařík M, Vadkertiová R, Knížek M, Sklenář F, Vakula J, Zúbrik M, Kolář M, Hulcr J (2026) The ambrosial mycobiota of Treptoplatypus oxyurus (Coleoptera, Platypodidae): a unique island of fungal diversity revealing Wilhelmdebeerea oxyuri gen. et sp. nov. (Ophiostomatales), and two new yeast species Blastobotrys sasensis sp. nov., and Sugiyamaella casensis sp. nov. (Dipodascales). IMA Fungus 17: e177075.
The source: https://www.avcr.cz/cs