Subgenus: Dermestes s. str.

These are the dichotomous keys to identify species of Dermestes (Coleoptera; Dermestidae) on a worldwide scale.

Click on the name of the species group to proceed with the key guide. Click here to go back to the main page.

1b. Very convex body shape; pronotum widest before its midlength, distinctly narrowed. Body robust, slightly depressed, less than 3 times long as wide. Go to species group: fuliginosus


1a. Pronotum widest at base, in some species pronotum parallel-sided in posterior half. Body more elongate and more convex. Go to question: 2



2a. Hairs on the front half of the elytra forming a broad reddish, yellow or greyish band, the hairs so dense that they obscure the black surface underneath; in this band there are three small dark spots on each elytron. Go to species group: lardarius


2b. Elytra without three distinctive dark spots in a basal band on each elytron. Go to question: 3



3a. Posterior lateral corners of pronotum are rounded; striation on the surface of the elytra is absent, shallow or indistinctive, if striation is present it is never furrowed. Go to question: 4


3b. The posterior lateral corners of the pronotum align with the anterior margin of the elytra more closely; surface of the elytra have distinctive striation / no distinct striation, but body two colours: anterior half reddish brown and posterior half black. Go to question: 5



4a. Males have two tufts on abdomen, one on the 3th and one on the 4th abdominal sternite; base of the pronotum without a border in the middle / if a border is present in the middle, the pronotum is very black in colour. Go to species group: ater


4b. Males have one tuft located on the 4th abdominal sternite / if a male has two tufts on the abdomen, the first segment of the middle and hind tarsi is about twice as long as the second segment; base of the pronotum is completely bordered and outline of the pronotum semicircular. Go to species group: peruvianus



5a. Very narrow structure of lateral depressions and large, flat rub area of the first visible abdominal ventrite. Go to species group: gerstaeckeri


5b. Broad structure of lateral depressions and small rub area of the first visible abdominal ventrite. Go to species group: bicolor

Used images:

Images of key 1 and 2:
- Sedláček A. & Boža P. no date: GALLERY BEETLES - IMAGE version - DERMESTIDAE - TRIBE: Dermestes. Link.

Images of key 3a, 3b (left) and 4b (exceptions, abdomen and tarsi):
- Herrmann A. no date: Pictures of some Dermestid Species. Link.

Image of key 3b (middle):
- Guarnieri F. 2017: Dermestes nidum. Link.

Image of key 3b (right):
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, no date: Dermestes pulcher LeConte, 1854. Link.

Image of key 4 (pronotum):
- (4a) Pest and Diseases Image Library, no date: Image Number: 5460442, black larder beetle (Dermestes ater De Geer, 1774). Link.
- (4b) Pest and Diseases Image Library, no date: Image Number: 5462466, black larder beetle (Dermestes haemorrhoidalis Küster, 1852). Link.

Image of key 4 (abdomen, drawings):
- Hackston, M. 2021: Key for the identification of British Dermestidae. Link.
- Sjöberg O. 1950: Drei neue Kaefer aus der borealen Region Schwedens. Entomologisk Tidskrift 71: 159-164. Link.

Image of key 4a (exception, pronotum):
- lisätiedot N. no date: Ihrakuoriaiset – Dermestes. Link.

Image of key 5:
- Háva J. 2023: A contribution to knowledge of the „Dermestes bicolor species group“ (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Dermestinae) with descriptions of two new species from Afrotropical Region. Studies and Reports, Taxonomical Series 19(1): 21-30. Link.

Used information:

Information of keys:
- (1) Háva J. 2004: World keys to the genera and subgenera of Dermestidae (Coleoptera), with descriptions, nomenclature and distributional records. Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae, Series B, Natural History 60: 149-164. Link.
- (2) Lepesme P. 1950: Révision des Dermestes (Coleoptera, Dermestidae). Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 115: 37-68. Link.
- (3) Arrow G. J. 1915: Notes on the Coleopterous family Dermestidae, and descriptions of some new forms in the British Museum. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History (8) 15: 425-451. Link.
- (3) Háva J. 2025: Description of the male of Dermestes (Dermestes) vietnamensis Háva, 2022 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Dermestinae). Munis Entomology and Zoology 20(2): 2769-2770. Link.
- (3) Háva J. & Kalík V. 2005: Contribution to the Dermestes peruvianus species group from the Neotropical region (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Baltic Journal of Coleopterology 5: 87-98. Link.
- (3) LeConte J. L. 1854: Synopsis of the Dermestidae of the United States. Proceedings of the Academy of the Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 7: 106-113. Link.
- (4) Hackston, M. 2021: Key for the identification of British Dermestidae. Link.
- (4) Sjöberg O. 1950: Drei neue Kaefer aus der borealen Region Schwedens. Entomologisk Tidskrift 71: 159-164. Link.
- (5) Háva J. 2023: A contribution to knowledge of the „Dermestes bicolor species group“ (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Dermestinae) with descriptions of two new species from Afrotropical Region. Studies and Reports, Taxonomical Series 19(1): 21-30. Link.

Information about taxonomic ranks:
- Háva J. 2025: World Catalogue of the Dermestidae (Coleoptera). Únětice/Praha: Private Entomological Laboratory and Collection, 368 p. Link.

Made by Sarah Mahie

Created on: 30-12-2025

Latest update: 13-01-2026