Ptinidae
Guides
Petalium alaseriatum
Petalium alaseriatum is a species of small beetle in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), described by Ford in 1973. It belongs to a genus of deathwatch beetles and spider beetles known for wood-boring or stored-product associations. The species is recorded from North America with very few documented observations.
Petalium bistriatum
Petalium bistriatum is a small beetle in the family Ptinidae (spider beetles), described by Thomas Say in 1825. It is distributed across North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The species includes four recognized subspecies, suggesting regional morphological variation. Like other members of its family, it is likely associated with dry, decaying organic matter.
Petalium seriatum
Petalium seriatum is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae (death-watch and spider beetles), described by Fall in 1905. It belongs to a genus of beetles associated with dry, decaying wood and stored products. The species has been documented in eastern North America, with records from Ontario and Québec in Canada. Like other members of Petalium, it likely inhabits dry wood environments.
Petalium whitei
Petalium whitei is a species of beetle in the family Ptinidae, first described by Ford in 1973. It belongs to the genus Petalium, a group of small wood-boring beetles commonly known as deathwatch beetles or furniture beetles. The species is known from North America. As with many Ptinidae species, detailed ecological and biological information remains limited in published literature.
Pitnus
Pitnus is a genus of beetles in the family Ptinidae, first described by Gorham in 1883. Members of this genus belong to the spider beetle group, a diverse assemblage of small beetles often associated with stored products, dry organic matter, or bird and mammal nests. The genus remains poorly documented in modern literature, with limited species-level revisions and few verified observations in public databases. Its taxonomic placement within Ptinidae reflects morphological affinities with other genera characterized by globose bodies and relatively long legs.
Platybregmus
Platybregmus is a genus of death-watch beetles in the family Ptinidae, established by Fisher in 1934. The genus contains at least one described species, P. canadensis. Death-watch beetles in this family are associated with wood-boring habits and are known for the tapping sounds produced by some species.
Platybregmus canadensis
Platybregmus canadensis is a small beetle in the family Ptinidae (formerly placed in Anobiidae), described by Fisher in 1934. It is one of few species in the genus Platybregmus and has been documented in eastern Canada. Like other members of its family, it is likely associated with wood or stored products, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Priobium
death-watch beetles
Priobium is a genus of wood-boring beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), commonly referred to as death-watch beetles. The genus occurs in western North America and Europe, with species that bore into coniferous wood. Adults lack the distinctly clubbed antennae seen in some related genera. Larval development occurs within dead or dying conifer wood.
Priobium punctatum
Priobium punctatum is a species of death-watch beetle in the family Ptinidae. It was described by LeConte in 1859. The species is known from North America. It belongs to a group of beetles commonly associated with wood-boring habits, though specific details for this species remain limited.
Pseudeurostus
Pseudeurostus is a genus of spider beetles in the family Ptinidae, established by Heyden in 1906. The genus comprises approximately seven described species. Spider beetles in this family are generally small beetles with compact bodies and are often associated with stored products or dry organic matter. Members of Pseudeurostus are distributed in parts of Europe, with records from Norway and Sweden.
Pseudeurostus kelleri
Pseudeurostus kelleri is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae. It was described by Brown in 1959. The species is known from North America. Like other members of Ptinidae, it has a rounded, compact body form with long legs that give it a spider-like appearance.
Ptilinus acuminatus
Ptilinus acuminatus is a species of beetle in the family Ptinidae, known from North America. The species was described by Casey in 1898. Beyond its taxonomic placement and geographic distribution, specific details regarding its biology, ecology, and behavior remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Ptilinus basalis
Ptilinus basalis is a species of beetle in the family Ptinidae, described by LeConte in 1858. It is found in North America, with confirmed records from British Columbia, Canada. Members of the genus Ptilinus are commonly known as horned powder-post beetles due to the distinctive antennae of males. The species is part of a group of wood-boring beetles whose larvae develop in dead or decaying wood.
Ptilinus ruficornis
Ptilinus ruficornis is a species of deathwatch beetle in the family Ptinidae. It has been recorded in both North America and Europe, with confirmed distribution records from Canadian provinces including Alberta, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The species is represented by 47 observations on iNaturalist. As a member of Ptinidae, it is likely associated with wood-boring habits typical of the family, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Ptinus bicinctus
Ptinus bicinctus is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae, first described by Sturm in 1837. The species has been recorded across multiple continents including Europe, Africa, and North America, suggesting either a wide native range or human-mediated dispersal. As a member of the genus Ptinus, it belongs to a group of beetles commonly associated with stored products and dry organic materials. The species remains poorly documented in published literature, with limited biological information available beyond distributional records.
Ptinus californicus
California spider beetle
Ptinus californicus is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae. It is found in North America.
Ptinus fallax
Ptinus fallax is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae, first described by Fall in 1905. It is distributed across North America, with records from British Columbia and other regions. Spider beetles in this genus are typically associated with stored products, dried organic materials, and decaying matter. The specific epithet 'fallax' (meaning 'deceptive' or 'false') may allude to morphological similarities with congeners.
Ptinus falli
spider beetle
Ptinus falli is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae, a group of small beetles known for their rounded, compact bodies and long, slender legs that give them a spider-like appearance. The species was described by Pic in 1904. Very little specific biological information is documented for this species beyond its taxonomic placement and geographic range.
Ptinus feminalis
Ptinus feminalis is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae, first described by Fall in 1905. As a member of the spider beetle genus Ptinus, it is part of a group known for their compact bodies and association with stored products, though specific details about this species remain limited in published literature. The species is recorded from North America.
Ptinus gandolphei
Ptinus gandolphei is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae, first described by Maurice Pic in 1904. It belongs to a genus known for species with elongated legs and antennae that resemble spiders in appearance. The species is documented from North America, though specific details about its biology remain poorly recorded in scientific literature.
Ptinus interruptus
Ptinus interruptus is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae. It is native to North America. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1857. Spider beetles in this genus are associated with stored products and dry organic materials.
Ptinus raptor
eastern spider beetle
Ptinus raptor, commonly known as the eastern spider beetle, is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae. It belongs to the genus Ptinus, a group of beetles often associated with stored products and dry organic materials. The species was first described by Sturm in 1837. Like other spider beetles, it has a rounded, compact body with long legs that give it a spider-like appearance.
Ptinus tectus
Australian spider beetle
Ptinus tectus is a small beetle commonly known as the Australian spider beetle. It is a cosmopolitan stored product pest that originated in Australia and spread to Europe and the UK around 1900. The species is notable for its spider-like appearance and its status as a significant pest of stored foods, museum specimens, and historic collections. It has been recorded from at least 55 museums and historic houses in the United Kingdom.
Sculptotheca
Sculptotheca is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly often placed in Anobiidae), established by Schilsky in 1900. The genus contains approximately ten described species, including the known species Sculptotheca puberula. These beetles belong to the group commonly known as spider beetles or deathwatch beetles, though specific ecological details for the genus as a whole remain poorly documented. The family placement has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some sources listing Ptinidae and others Anobiidae.
Sphaericus
spider beetles
Sphaericus is a genus of spider beetles in the family Ptinidae, established by Wollaston in 1854. The genus contains more than 30 described species. Members are classified within the tribe Sphaericini and subfamily Ptininae. These beetles are part of the diverse spider beetle assemblage, a group often associated with stored products and dry organic materials.
Sphaericus gibboides
humped spider beetle
Sphaericus gibboides, commonly known as the humped spider beetle, is a species of spider beetle in the family Ptinidae. The species has a broad geographic distribution spanning Africa, Australia, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. It is one of approximately 50 species in the genus Sphaericus, which are characterized by their compact, rounded body form. The specific epithet 'gibboides' refers to the humped or gibbous shape of the body.
Stichtoptychus
Stichtoptychus is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly included in Anobiidae). The genus was established by Fall in 1905 and contains approximately 13 described species. These beetles belong to the group commonly known as deathwatch beetles or furniture beetles, though specific ecological details for this genus remain poorly documented.
Trichodesma cristata
death-watch beetle
Trichodesma cristata is a species of death-watch beetle in the family Ptinidae. It is a small beetle found in North America, with records from British Columbia, Canada. The species was described by Thomas Lincoln Casey Jr. in 1890. Like other members of the family Ptinidae, it is associated with wood-boring habits.
Trichodesma gibbosa
Gibbous Death-watch Beetle
Trichodesma gibbosa is a species of death-watch beetle in the family Ptinidae, found in North America. The common name "gibbous" refers to a humpbacked or convex body shape. Death-watch beetles are known for the distinctive tapping sounds produced by males to attract mates, though this specific behavior has not been documented for T. gibbosa.
Trichodesma klagesi
Trichodesma klagesi is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae (formerly placed in Anobiidae), described by Fall in 1905. The species is known from North America, with distribution records from Ontario, Canada, and has been documented through 26 iNaturalist observations. Taxonomic placement of this species has shifted between families, reflecting ongoing revisions within the superfamily Bostrichoidea.
Trichodesma sordida
death-watch beetle
Trichodesma sordida is a species of death-watch beetle in the family Ptinidae, first described by George Henry Horn in 1894. It belongs to a genus characterized by distinctive body hair patterns. The species is native to North America. Very little specific information about its biology or ecology has been published.
Trichodesma texana
Trichodesma texana is a death-watch beetle in the family Ptinidae, described by Schaeffer in 1903. It belongs to a genus of small wood-boring beetles commonly associated with dead or decaying wood. The species is known from North America, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. Like other members of Ptinidae, it likely plays a role in wood decomposition.
Tricorynini
Tricorynini is a tribe of small beetles within the family Ptinidae (spider beetles and allies), established by R.E. White in 1971. Members are classified in the subfamily Mesocoelopodinae and are characterized by morphological features distinguishing them from related tribes such as Mesocoelopodini. The tribe includes genera associated with stored products and dry organic materials. These beetles are generally small, compact, and often found in human-associated environments.
Tricorynus
deathwatch beetles, spider beetles
Tricorynus is a genus of beetles in the family Ptinidae, commonly known as deathwatch and spider beetles. The genus contains at least 80-90 described species. Members of this genus are associated with stored products and natural habitats involving dry organic materials. Some species, such as Tricorynus confusus, have been documented as pests in tobacco storage facilities.
Tricorynus dichrous
Tricorynus dichrous is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae, described by Fall in 1905. The species is known from North America, though detailed ecological and biological information remains sparse. Like other members of the genus Tricorynus, it likely inhabits dry, decaying plant material. Only a handful of observations have been documented.
Tricorynus nigritulus
A small beetle in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), described by LeConte in 1865. Records indicate presence in North America, including Ontario, Canada. The genus Tricorynus contains species commonly known as spider beetles or related forms, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Tricorynus palliatus
Tricorynus palliatus is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae (spider beetles and deathwatch beetles). It is recorded from North America, though detailed biological information remains limited. The genus Tricorynus contains species associated with stored products and dry plant materials.
Tricorynus punctatus
Tricorynus punctatus is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae (formerly often placed in Anobiidae). The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1865. It is native to North America. The genus Tricorynus comprises beetles commonly associated with stored products and wood-boring habits, though species-specific natural history for T. punctatus remains poorly documented.
Tricorynus similis
Tricorynus similis is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae, first described by LeConte in 1878. It is found in North America, though specific details about its ecology and biology remain limited. The species belongs to a genus of beetles commonly associated with stored products and wood-boring habits, though direct evidence for T. similis is lacking.
Tricorynus texanus
Tricorynus texanus is a species of beetle in the family Ptinidae, first described by White in 1965. It belongs to a genus of small beetles commonly known as deathwatch beetles or furniture beetles. The species is found in North America. Very little specific information about its biology, ecology, or behavior has been published.
Trigonogenius
Trigonogenius is a genus of spider beetles in the family Ptinidae, established by Hagedorn in 1912. The genus contains five to six described species, including the globular spider beetle (Trigonogenius globulum). A new species was described from Peru in 2025, indicating ongoing taxonomic work and expanding knowledge of the genus's Neotropical diversity.
Vrilletta
Vrilletta is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), containing 10 described species distributed primarily in North America. The genus was established by J.L. LeConte in 1874 and is classified within the subfamily Xyletininae. Species are recorded from western and eastern North America, with several endemic to California. These beetles are associated with dead wood and woody materials.
Vrilletta murrayi
Vrilletta murrayi is a species of death-watch beetle described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1874. The species belongs to the family Ptinidae, a group of small beetles commonly associated with wood-boring habits. Records indicate presence in North America, though detailed biological information remains scarce.
Xarifa
Xarifa is a genus of beetles in the family Ptinidae, order Coleoptera. Members of this genus are small to minute beetles commonly known as spider beetles. The genus name is also shared with a 19th-century sailing yacht that served in the U.S. Navy during World War I, but this naval vessel is taxonomically unrelated.
Xeranobium
death-watch beetles
Xeranobium is a genus of death-watch beetles in the family Ptinidae, established by Fall in 1905. The genus contains approximately 13 described species. Death-watch beetles (family Ptinidae) are wood-boring beetles known for the distinctive tapping sounds produced by males to attract mates. Members of Xeranobium share the general characteristics of this group, though species-level details remain limited in available literature.
Xeranobium cinereum
death-watch beetle
Xeranobium cinereum is a species of death-watch beetle in the family Ptinidae, described by Horn in 1894. It is native to North America. The genus Xeranobium belongs to a group of beetles commonly associated with wood-boring habits, though specific details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Xestobium gaspensis
Gaspé Death-watch Beetle
Xestobium gaspensis is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae, originally described from eastern Canada in 1975. The species is known from a limited number of records in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Québec. It belongs to a genus commonly associated with wood-boring habits, though specific biology for this species remains poorly documented.
Xyletinini
Xyletinini
Xyletinini is a tribe of beetles in the family Ptinidae, commonly known as death-watch and spider beetles. The tribe was established by Gistel in 1848 and contains at least 10 genera and approximately 70 described species. Xyletinini belongs to the subfamily Xyletininae within the superfamily Bostrichoidea. Member genera include Xyletinus, Vrilletta, Euvrilletta, and others.
Xyletinus fucatus
Xyletinus fucatus is a small beetle species in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1865. The species is recorded from multiple Canadian provinces including British Columbia, Manitoba, and New Brunswick, indicating a transcontinental distribution across northern North America. As a member of the subfamily Xyletininae, it belongs to a group commonly known as deathwatch beetles or furniture beetles, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Xyletinus lugubris
Xyletinus lugubris is a species of beetle in the family Ptinidae (formerly Anobiidae), described by LeConte in 1878. It is known from North America with records from Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario in Canada. The species belongs to a genus of beetles commonly associated with dead wood and wood-boring habits. Very little specific biological information has been documented for this particular species.