Abstract [Aim]  To review the nomenclature and describe the morphological characteristics and larval galleries of Agrilus euonymi Tôyama, 1985, a buprestid beetle that damages Euonymus japonicus Thunb, and thereby provide guidance and suggestions for the monitoring and prevention of this pest. [Methods]  A review of the relevant domestic and foreign literature was conducted to clarify changes to the scientific name of A. euonymi. Morphological characteristics of larvae, pupae, and adults were observed and described in detail. We analyzed the gallery characteristics of A. euonymi, including population density, gallery length and width, entrance hole, pupal chamber and emergence hole. To identify the species at the molecular level, DNA was extracted and the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit Ⅰ (COⅠ) amplified and sequenced using general coleopteran primers. Sequences were compared with existing Agrilus sequences in the NCBI database and a phylogenetic tree of closely related species constructed. A. euonymi galleries were photographed from different angles, and reconstructed in three dimensions using Image-based-Rendering, a first for a buprestid beetle. [Results]  Morphological characteristics of adults were completely consistent with the published description of A. euonyi. A Mrbayes tree based on COⅠ gene sequence variation showed that all samples clustered onto the same branch as two samples from the Russian Far East. Together with information from the literature, this confirmed that our samples were A. euonymi. A. euonymi mainly damages the phloem and xylem of the trunk and is active on the sunny side of host trees. A. euonymi bores galleries without entrance holes under the bark of host trees. The pupal chamber is shaped like a grain of rice and is in the xylem. The eclosion hole was ‘D’ shaped. Tunnels were of two types; the S-type and its variants and the dense longitudinal roundabout type. [Conclusion] Morphological characteristics, clarification of the correct scientific name and gene sequence analysis confirmed the identify of specimens as A. euonymi. A three-dimensional reconstruction of its larval gallery structure also helped with identification and assessing the damage to host trees. These findings provide technical guidance for the monitoring and control of this pest.