Species group: peruvianus
These are the dichotomous keys to identify species of Dermestes (Coleoptera; Dermestidae) on a worldwide scale.
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1a. First segment of the middle and hind tarsi about twice as long as the second segment; red-brown to black body with short fine decumbent greyish-yellow hairs wich extends just beyond elytral apices to form a fringe; abdomen are covered in pale yellowish hairs; males have two tufts on the abdomen.
→ Dermestes leechi
1b. First segment of the middle and hind tarsi shorter than, or about the same length as the second segment. Go to question: 2
2a. Hairs on the elytra extend beyond the lateral margins at the apex, forming a fringe and obscuring the edge of the elytra. Go to question: 3
2b. Hairs on the elytra do not extend as a fringe beyond the lateral margins so that the border of the elytra is clear. Go to question: 5
3a. The abdomen are densely and quite uniformly covered in dense yellow golden hairs; shape of lateral margins of first visible abdominal sternite; antennal club not compact; dorsal body predominantly covered in black or dark brown hairs mixed with light brown or golden hairs.
→ Dermestes haemorrhoidalis
3b. The abdomen are brown with long yellow hairs on hind margin of each sternite. Go to question: 4
4a. Antennal club not compact; pronotum more or less bulged; averagely shorter and predominantly dark hairs on elytra; scutellum with the same pubescence as on the elytra; with a distinct fovea at the lateral margins on the first abdominal segment.
→ Dermestes argentinus
4b. Antennal club compact; somewhat flattened on the disk; dorsal body covered in long yellow hairs (densely on pronotum and scutellum) and mixed with black hairs on pronotum and basal part of elytra, long and dense hairs at the apical margin of the pronotum; without a distinct fovea at the lateral margins on the first abdominal segment.
→ Dermestes patagoniensis
5a. The abdomen are densely and quite uniformly covered in dense light golden hairs; apex of metepimeron without spine; dorsal body black or dark brown with uniformly short, pale golden-yellow, recumbent hairs; shape of lateral margins of first visible abdominal sternite.
→ Dermestes peruvianus
5b. The abdomen are brown with long yellow hairs on hind margin of each sternite; apex of metepimeron with one or two spines. Go to question: 6
6a. Apex of metepimeron with two small spines; body length smaller than 9 mm; dorsal body covered in grey hairs (pronotum and elytra densely covered), pronotum, scutellum, basal part and apex of elytron with short hairs; shape of lateral margins of first visible abdominal sternite.
→ Dermestes rufofuscus
6b. Apex of metepimeron with one spine; body length more than 9 mm. Go to question: 7
7a. Each elytron with 4 visible ribs; dorsal body brown with yellow hairs (pronotum and elytra covered densely), base of elytra with long yellow hairs; palpi en legs are red-brown; shape of lateral margins of first visible abdominal sternite.
→ Dermestes boliviensis
7b. Each elytron with 8 indistinct ribs; dorsal body brown with yellow hairs (pronotum and elytra covered densely), base of elytra with short yellow hairs; apex of metepimeron with one spine; palpi and legs are brown; shape of lateral margins of first visible abdominal sternite.
→ Dermestes elongatissimus
Extra information:
Dermestes haemorrhoidalis (3a) and Dermestes peruvianus (7a) are the most common species of this species group to encounter in Europe and in the USA. They are best distinguished by question 2 of the key guide above:
1. Hairs on the apex of the elytra:
D. haemorrhoidalis: extend beyond the lateral margins, forming a fringe.
D. peruvianus: do not extend as a fringe beyond the lateral margins.
Other important differences between the two species is as follows:
2. Hairs on the head:
D. haemorrhoidalis: inclined towards a central point on crown.
D. peruvianus: inclined anteriad (towards mandibles) and inwards towards a central line between the eyes.
3. Hairs on the surface of the elytra:
D. haemorrhoidalis: dense, long, coarse, semi-erect pubescence which is predominantly dark reddish-brown or black, usually with light yellowish setae scattered singly at intervals among the dark ones.
D. peruvianus: pubescence predominantly pale yellow, short, fine and recumbent.
3. Metepimeron:
D. haemorrhoidalis: with a posteriorly-directed lateral spine.
D. peruvianus: without a posterior lateral spine.
The following differences are personal observations:
4. The first antennal segment (scape):
D. haemorrhoidalis: shaped like a bun, slightly convex.
D. peruvianus: shaped like a bulb, very convex.
5. Hairs on the abdomen:
D. haemorrhoidalis: dense yellow golden with a shine.
D. peruvianus: dense light golden, more similar to D. ater.
Other species of peruvianus group: not densely enough to conceal brown surface.
D. ater: dense light golden with regular patches of dark hairs at lateral margins and sometimes at each side of midline, forming a symmetrical pattern.
Dermestes ater:
Dermestes haemorrhoidalis:
Dermestes peruvianus:
Photo gallery:
Dermestes leechi:
Dermestes haemorrhoidalis:
Dermestes peruvianus:
Dermestes boliviensis (?):
Dermestes elongatissimus (?):
Made by Sarah Mahie
Created on: 30-12-2025
Latest update: 01-03-2026