Editing Eucalyptus (section)

==Animal relationships==
An [[essential oil]] extracted from ''Eucalyptus'' leaves contains compounds that are powerful natural disinfectants and can be toxic in large quantities. Several [[marsupial herbivore]]s, notably [[koala]]s and some [[Phalangeriformes|possums]], are relatively tolerant of it. The close correlation of these oils with other more potent toxins called formylated [[phloroglucinol]] compounds ([[euglobal]]s, [[macrocarpal]]s and [[sideroxylonal]]s)<ref>{{Cite journal|pmid=10913843|year=2000|last1=Eschler|first1=BM|last2=Pass|first2=DM|last3=Willis|first3=R|last4=Foley|first4=WJ|title=Distribution of foliar formylated phloroglucinol derivatives amongst Eucalyptus species|volume=28|issue=9|pages=813–824|journal=Biochemical Systematics and Ecology|doi=10.1016/S0305-1978(99)00123-4|bibcode=2000BioSE..28..813E }}</ref> allows koalas and other [[marsupial]] species to make food choices based on the smell of the leaves. For koalas, these compounds are the most important factor in leaf choice.

A wide variety of insects also feed exclusively on ''Eucalyptus'' leaves, such as beetles in the genus ''[[Paropsisterna]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Genus Paropsisterna |url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/115171 |access-date=2024-10-31 |website=bugguide.net |language=en}}</ref>

The [[eusocial]] beetle ''[[Austroplatypus incompertus]]'' makes and defends its galleries exclusively inside eucalypts, including some species of ''Eucalyptus'' and ''Corymbia''.<ref name="USDA">{{cite web |last1=Kliejunas |first1=John T. |last2=Burdstall |first2=Harold H. |last3=DeNitto |first3=Gregg A. |last4=Eglitis |first4=Andris |last5=Haugen |first5=Dennis A. |last6=Haverty |first6=Michael I. |last7=Micales |first7=Jessie A. |last8=Tkacz |first8=Borys M. |last9=Powell |first9=Mark R. |title=Pest Risk Assessment of the Importation Into the United States of Unprocessed Logs and Chips of Eighteen Eucalypt Species From Australia |url=https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr137.pdf |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |access-date=28 October 2023}}</ref>

{{Gallery
|Koala-ag1.jpg|[[Koala]] (''Phascolarctos cinereus'') eating the leaves
|Sawfly larvae - Pergidae sp.jpg|[[Spitfire sawfly|Sawfly]] larvae feeding on the leaves
}}