4. Ambrosia beetles were broad generalists as 95% of species did not show any
preference for a particular host species or clade. Similarity of ambrosia beetle communities
from different tree species was not correlated with phylogenetic distances between tree
species. Similarity of ambrosia beetle communities from individual conspecific trees was
not higher than that from heterospecific trees and different parts of the trees hosted similar
ambrosia beetle communities, as only a few species preferred particular tree parts.
5. In contrast, phloeophagous bark beetles showed strict specificity to host plant genus
or family. However, this guild was poor in species (12 species) and restricted to only three
plant families (Moraceae, Myristicaceae, Sapindaceae).
6. Local diversity of both bark and ambrosia beetles is not driven by the local diversity
of trees in tropical forests, since ambrosia beetles display no host specificity and bark
beetles are species poor and restricted to a few plant families.