Dermestidae
Guides
Anthrenini
Anthrenini is a tribe of carpet beetles within the family Dermestidae, subfamily Megatominae. The tribe contains at least 100 described species, primarily in the genus Anthrenus, with one additional monotypic genus Dermeanthrenus. Members are small beetles known for feeding on keratinous materials including wool, fur, feathers, and dried animal products. Several species are significant household and museum pests worldwide.
Anthrenus chiton
carpet beetle
Anthrenus chiton is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae, subgenus Anthrenus. It is a small beetle native to the southwestern United States, where it occurs in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas. Like other members of its genus, it likely shares the typical carpet beetle biology of larval feeding on dried animal products and adult pollination behavior, though species-specific details remain poorly documented.
Anthrenus sophonisba
Anthrenus sophonisba is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by Beal in 1998. It belongs to the scrophulariae species group within the genus Anthrenus. The species is known from the western United States, specifically documented in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Like other members of its genus, it likely shares the typical carpet beetle life history involving keratin-feeding larvae and pollen-feeding adults, though species-specific details remain poorly documented.
Anthrenus thoracicus
carpet beetle
Anthrenus thoracicus is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae. It is native to North America and has been recorded in multiple U.S. states including Arkansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. Like other members of the genus, it belongs to the Anthrenus scrophulariae species group. The species was described by Melsheimer in 1844.
Apsectus hispidus
Apsectus hispidus is a small carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, distributed across North America. The species belongs to a genus of beetles associated with decomposing organic material. Limited biological data are available for this species specifically.
Attagenini
Attagenini is a tribe of carpet beetles in the family Dermestidae, established by Laporte in 1840 and reduced from subfamily rank (Attageninae) to tribe in 2003. The tribe comprises at least seven genera including Attagenus (black carpet beetles), Novelsis, and Paranovelsis, with approximately 20 described species. Members are characterized morphologically by features visible in both adult and larval stages. The genus Attagenus contains economically significant species that are common household pests.
Attagenus bicolor
carpet beetle
Attagenus bicolor is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, subfamily Attageninae. It is known from the southwestern and western United States, specifically Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with dried organic materials, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Attagenus rufipennis
Attagenus rufipennis is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae. It occurs in North America. Like other Attagenus species, it is likely associated with dried organic materials, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented in available sources.
Caccoleptus
Caccoleptus is a genus of small beetles in the family Dermestidae, first described by Sharp in 1902. The genus contains six described species distributed in the Neotropical region, with records from Colombia. Members of this genus are among the lesser-known dermestid beetles, with limited biological data available.
Cryptorhopalum
Cryptorhopalum is a genus of skin beetles (family Dermestidae) known only from the Americas, ranging from North to South America. The genus includes both extant and fossil species, with several species preserved in amber. The immature stages of at least one species, C. triste, have been described in detail.
Cryptorhopalum aspilon
Cryptorhopalum aspilon is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, described by Beal in 1985. It belongs to a genus of small, oval beetles known for their association with organic materials. The species is recorded from North America, though detailed ecological and biological information appears limited.
Cryptorhopalum floridanum
Cryptorhopalum floridanum is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, described by Casey in 1916. It belongs to a genus of small beetles known for their association with dried organic materials. The species is native to North America, with records from the southeastern United States. Very little is known about its specific biology or ecology.
Cryptorhopalum triste
Cryptorhopalum triste is a carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae. It occurs in North America, with confirmed records from the United States and Canada. The species is polyphagous, feeding on plants from over 16 families. Larval and pupal stages have been described and reared in laboratory settings.
Dermestes nidum
Dermestes nidum is a species of hide beetle in the family Dermestidae, described by Arrow in 1915. Like other members of the genus Dermestes, it is a scavenger associated with decomposing animal matter. The species is present in North America, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Dermestes peruvianus
Peruvian larder beetle
Dermestes peruvianus is a larder beetle in the family Dermestidae, found in North America, Europe, and South America. It closely resembles Dermestes haemorrhoidalis but can be distinguished by specific morphological traits including pale yellow, short, fine, recumbent pubescence on the elytra that does not extend beyond the lateral margins. It has been collected from carrion in forensic studies and is known from Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.
Dermestes pulcher
Dermestes pulcher is a species of hide beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by LeConte in 1854. Like other members of the genus Dermestes, this species is associated with carrion and decomposing animal matter. The species has been recorded in North America from Canada (Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Québec), though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Dermestidae
skin beetles, carpet beetles, larder beetles, hide beetles, leather beetles, khapra beetles
Dermestidae is a family of beetles comprising approximately 1,700 to 1,800 described species worldwide. Adults are small (1–12 mm), typically oval to rounded, with antennae that are clubbed and usually concealed in thoracic grooves. The family exhibits exceptional diversity in feeding ecology: larvae of most species are scavengers specialized on dry organic matter, particularly keratin-rich materials including animal hair, feathers, hides, wool, and silk. Certain genera have evolved highly specific associations, such as Thaumaglossa in mantid egg cases. The family includes significant economic pests (carpet beetles, khapra beetle), forensic indicators (hide beetles), and beneficial species used in taxidermy and museum specimen preparation. Larvae of subfamily Megatominae possess distinctive defensive hastisetae—barbed, spear-tipped setae that detach to entangle predators.
Laelius
Laelius is a cosmopolitan genus of small parasitoid wasps in the family Bethylidae, subfamily Epyrinae. Species are ectoparasitoids of beetle larvae, primarily attacking Dermestidae (larder beetles), with some species also associated with Scolytinae and Glossinidae. The genus contains approximately 68 valid species worldwide, with significant diversity in the Palaearctic region. Several species have been investigated for biological control of stored product pests and forest pests.
Megatoma
Megatoma is a genus of dermestid beetles (family Dermestidae) distributed across the Palearctic, Near East, and Nearctic regions. The genus contains approximately 23 described species, including the well-studied Megatoma undata (Linnaeus, 1758). Species within this genus are associated with stored products and natural habitats where they feed on dried organic matter. Larval stages have been documented in detail for some species, showing characteristic dermestid morphology with specialized setae.
Megatoma ampla
carpet beetle
Megatoma ampla is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae, first described by Casey in 1900. It belongs to a genus of beetles known for infesting stored products and natural history collections. The species is documented from North America, with specific records from British Columbia, Canada. As with other dermestid beetles, it likely has a scavenging or detritivorous lifestyle, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Megatoma pubescens
Pubescent Carpet Beetle
Megatoma pubescens is a species of carpet beetle in the family Dermestidae. It is found in North America and Europe. The species is commonly known as the Pubescent Carpet Beetle. Like other dermestid beetles, it belongs to a family whose larvae feed on dry organic materials including animal products, plant matter, and natural fibers.
Orphinus fulvipes
carpet beetle
Orphinus fulvipes is a small carpet beetle species in the family Dermestidae. It has a documented body length of 2.5 mm. The species exhibits a broad intercontinental distribution spanning North America, South Asia, Oceania, and Europe. As a member of Dermestidae, it is likely associated with keratinous or dried organic materials, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Phradonoma nobile
A dermestid beetle in the family Dermestidae, with a broad distribution spanning the Mediterranean region, North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and introduced populations in Europe, the United States, and Australia. The species has been documented in arid and semi-arid habitats.
Pseudohadrotoma
Pseudohadrotoma is a genus of carpet beetles in the family Dermestidae, established by Kalík in 1951. It is currently treated as a synonym of Megatoma by GBIF, though iNaturalist recognizes it as a subgenus. The group contains species distributed in northern Europe, including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. These beetles belong to a family known for feeding on animal-derived materials such as keratin.
Thorictini
Thorictini is a tribe of carpet beetles (family Dermestidae) established by Erichson in 1846. Members of this tribe are small, compact beetles adapted to specialized microhabitats. The tribe is relatively species-poor compared to other dermestid tribes and includes genera such as Thorictus. These beetles are primarily known from the Palearctic and Afrotropical regions.
Thorictodes heydeni
Thorictodes heydeni is a small beetle in the family Dermestidae, a group commonly known as skin beetles or carpet beetles. The genus Thorictodes is distinguished from related dermestid genera by specific morphological features of the antennae and body form. Records indicate this species has been documented in North America and Oceania, though detailed biological studies remain limited. Like other dermestids, members of this genus are generally associated with dried organic materials.
Thylodrias contractus
Odd Beetle, tissue paper beetle
Thylodrias contractus, commonly known as the odd beetle or tissue paper beetle, is the sole species in the monotypic genus Thylodrias within the family Dermestidae. Native to Asia, it has been introduced and become widespread in North America and parts of South America. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males and females differing substantially in appearance. It is occasionally reported as a pest.
Trogoderma ballfinchae
Trogoderma ballfinchae is a species of dermestid beetle in the genus Trogoderma. The genus Trogoderma comprises Northern Hemisphere species, with members known as significant pests of stored grain and stored products. Following molecular phylogenetic studies, Trogoderma was redefined to include only Northern Hemisphere taxa, with Southern Hemisphere species reassigned to Eurhopalus. No specific biological or ecological data have been published for T. ballfinchae.
Trogoderma breve
Trogoderma breve is a species of dermestid beetle in the family Dermestidae, subfamily Megatominae. Like other members of the genus Trogoderma, it is associated with stored product environments. The genus Trogoderma includes several significant stored grain pests, most notably the khapra beetle (T. granarium), which is a federally quarantined pest in the United States. Trogoderma species are characterized by their ability to withstand adverse conditions, including extended periods without food.
Trogoderma grassmani
Trogoderma grassmani is a species of dermestid beetle in the genus Trogoderma, described by Beal in 1954. Like other members of its genus, it belongs to a group of beetles commonly known as cabinet beetles or warehouse beetles, many of which are significant pests of stored products. The species is native to North America. Information specific to this species is limited compared to better-known congeners such as Trogoderma granarium (khapra beetle) and Trogoderma variabile (warehouse beetle).
Trogoderma ornatum
ornate carpet beetle, ornate cabinet beetle
Trogoderma ornatum, commonly known as the ornate carpet beetle or ornate cabinet beetle, is a species of dermestid beetle in the family Dermestidae. It is a member of the genus Trogoderma, which contains several economically significant stored product pests. The species has been recorded in North America and Oceania, with a notable first record from Mexico in 1998 where it was detected in association with honey bees (Apis mellifera). Like other Trogoderma species, it is likely associated with stored products or organic materials, though specific ecological details remain limited.
Trogoderma simplex
Trogoderma simplex is a species of dermestid beetle in the family Dermestidae. Like other members of the genus Trogoderma, it belongs to a group known for stored product pest species. The genus Trogoderma was historically considered polyphyletic and has been taxonomically revised, with Northern Hemisphere species including T. simplex retained in Trogoderma while Southern Hemisphere species were moved to Eurhopalus.