Anthrenus
Encyclopedia
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of skin beetle
Skin beetle
Dermestidae are a family of Coleoptera that are commonly referred to as skin beetles. Other common names include larder beetle, hide or leather beetles, carpet beetles, and khapra beetles. There are approximately 500 to 700 species worldwide. They can range in size from 1–12 mm. Key...
s (family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Dermestidae). Commonly known as one of the several genera of "carpet beetles", Anthrenus was historically placed in a subfamily Anthreninae, though presently included in the Megatominae
Megatominae
Megatominae is a subfamily of the beetle family Dermestidae. This subfamily contains several of the most well-known household and stored-product pest beetles, in the genera Anthrenus and Trogoderma.-Links:* Wikispecies:Megatominae*...
. The genus Neoanthrenus is closely related.
Anthrenus carpet beetles are small (a few millimetres) beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s with a rather rounded shape. Their antenna
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
e bear small clubs at the end, which are plumper in males than in females. Many have a delicate and rather pretty pattern, with a dark body covered in colorful scales of various brown, tan, red, whitish and grey hues. These scales rub off easily, and old individuals are often partially devoid of them, showing the shining black elytra. A considerable number of subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
and varieties have been named, but it is questionable whether these are all valid or simply refer to such age-related differences. The massive number of species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
has been divided into several subgenera, but these are not too firmly established. The small subgenus Helocerus for example is sometimes entirely included in Florilinus. Also, new species are being described every now and then.
These beetles range essentially all over the world; they have even colonized some remote oceanic islands. Most species are harmless pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
-eaters, with the long-haired larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e feeding on a wide range on dead animal or plant matter. This makes them important decomposer
Decomposer
Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms, and in doing so carry out the natural process of decomposition. Like herbivores and predators, decomposers are heterotrophic, meaning that they use organic substrates to get their energy, carbon and nutrients for growth and...
s, which clean up decaying organisms. Some however, most notoriously the Museum Beetle (A. museorum
Anthrenus museorum
Anthrenus museorum, commonly known as the museum beetle, is a species of beetle found in the Palearctic , the Near East and the Nearctic...
), are as significant pests as many other skin beetles, infesting stored goods and especially specimen
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
s in museum collections
Collection (museum)
A museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions, education, research, etc. This differentiates it from an archive or library, where the contents may be more paper-based, replaceable and less exhibition oriented...
. These species have caused considerable damage to biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
by destroying valuable type specimens.
Selected species
Subgenus undetermined
- Anthrenus amoenulus - Anthrenodes or Florilinus?
- Anthrenus biscrensis - Florilinus?
- Anthrenus blanci Beal, 1998
- Anthrenus coloratus Reitter, 1881 - Anthrenops or Florilinus?
- Anthrenus fucosus Beal, 1998
- Anthrenus funebris - Florilinus?
- Anthrenus minor - Anthrenodes or Florilinus?
- Anthrenus minor ab. unicolor
- Anthrenus molitor Aubé, 1850 - Florilinus or Nathrenus?
- Anthrenus occidens Casey, 1900
- Anthrenus omoi Beal, 1998
- Anthrenus sarnicus – Guernsey Carpet Beetle - Anthrenodes or Florilinus?
- Anthrenus signatus - Florilinus or Nathrenus?
- Anthrenus tuvensis - Florilinus?
- Anthrenus umbra Beal, 1998
- Anthrenus ussuricus - Florilinus?
- Anthrenus verbasci – Varied Carpet BeetleVaried carpet beetleThe varied carpet beetle is a 3 mm–long beetle that can be a serious household pest. It feeds on natural fibers and can damage carpets, furniture and clothing....
- Florilinus or Nathrenus?- Anthrenus verbasci var. nebulosus
- Anthrenus versicolor Reitter, 1887 - Florilinus or Nathrenus?