Species group: elegans

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

Click on the species names to go to their taxon page. Click here to go back to the subgenus page. Click here to go back to the main page.

1a. Elytra do not have a basal transverse band of light hairs.

→ Dermestes fasciventris


1b. Elytra with a white or yellow basal transverse band. Go to question: 2

 

2a. Pronotum mainly covered with yellow-orange hairs; no black spots in basal yellow band that covers first 1/3 th of elytron; last abdominal sternite black with no white spots.

→ Dermestes solskyi


2b. Pronotum mainly covered with brown-orange hairs; black spots in basal white band that covers first 1/4th of elytron; last abdominal sternite black with small white spots or white pattern. Go to question: 3



3a. Two back spots on in basal white band on elytron; last abdominal sternite black with white pattern, and with black hairs on posterior margin; shape of the male genitalia.

→ Dermestes elegans


3b. Only one black spot near scutellum in basal white band on elytron; last abdominal sternite black with two small white spots anteriorly, and with long yellow hairs on hind margin; shape of male genitalia.

→ Dermestes kafkai

Used images:

Image of key 1a:
- Herrmann A. no date: Pictures of some Dermestid Species. Link.

Image of key 2a (dorsal):
- Háva J. & Kopr D. 2023: A very rare species Dermestes (Dermestinus) solskyi Dalla Torre, 1911 from Iran (Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Studies and Reports, Taxonomical Series 19(1): 197-198. Link.

Image of key 3a (dorsal):
- Natural History Museum: Coleoptera Section 2020: NHMUK014092460_Dermestes_elegans _Solsky--whole_dorsal_X_1.25. Link.

Image of 2a, 3a and 3b (elytron, abdomen, male genital):
- Háva J. & Kalík V. 1999: The dermestid beetles (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) of Iran. Part 1: genus Dermestes. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae 63: 443-450. Link.

Used information:

- (1 and 3a) Zhantiev R. D. 1976: Жуки-кожееды (семейство Dermestidae) фауны СССР. [The skin eaters family Dermestidae of fauna of the USSR.] Moskva: Izdatelstvo Moskovskogo Universiteta, 180 p. Link.
- (2 and 3) Háva J. & Kalík V. 1999: The dermestid beetles (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) of Iran. Part 1: genus Dermestes. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae 63: 443-450. Link.

Made by Sarah Mahie

Created on: 30-12-2025

Latest update: 07-01-2026