Phylogenetic analysis of resource use and specialization in Dendroctonus (Coleoptera : Scolytidae)

In this paper, we provide a molecular phylogeny of the 19 species in the bark beetle genus Dendroctonus. These beetles collectively attack plant species in four different genera of the conifer family Pinaceae. Given substantial variation in diet breadth, in both the types and numbers of plant species utilized, we asked two general questions concerning the evolution of resource use in this group: 1) “How conservative is the evolution of host use in these insects?” and 2) “Does specialization tend to be derived (that is, a “dead-end’’)?”