Community structure of gut fungi during different developmental stages of the Chinese white pine beetle (Dendroctonus armandi)

The Chinese white pine beetle is arguably the most destructive forest insect in the Qinling Mountains in Northern China. Little is known about the structure of the fungal communities associated with Dendroctonus armandi, even though this wood-boring insect plays important roles in ecosystem and biological invasion processes that result in huge economic losses in pine forests. The aim of this study was to investigate the fungal community structure present in the galleries and guts of D. armandi at different developmental stages using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Analysis of PCR-amplified 18S rRNA gene fragments of fungi from the guts of D. armandi revealed fungal communities of low complexity that differed according to the developmental stage. Yeast of the genus Candida and the filamentous fungi Ophiostoma predominated in D. armandi and its galleries. In particular, Candida accounted for 56% of the fungal community in the pupal stage. Characterizing the evolution and content of the intestinal microbial community structure in D. armandi may facilitate the development of new pest control strategies.