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COLEOPTERA, Dermestidae -- <Images> & <Juveniles> Please refer also to the following
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Dermestidae = Link 1 Description Dermestids feed extensively on
dead animal and plant material, and thus have been referred to as skin
beetles. Other common names include larder beetle, hide or
leather beetles, carpet beetles, and khapra beetles. However, a number of species feed
on the eggs of other insects, particularly where they are enclosed within a
distinct case or in a compact mass with a felted covering (Clausen 1940/62). There
are 700 identified species worldwide. Their size ranges from from 0.8–14 mm. Key characteristics
for adults are round oval shaped bodies covered in scales or setae. The
usually clubbed antennae fit into deep grooves. The hind femora also fit into
recesses of the coxa. Larvae are scarabaeiform with setae. Larvae of some Thaumaglossa spp. feed in
mantid egg cases in South Africa and Texas, and in Japan a high proportion of
those of Tenodera sinensis Sauss infest another
mantid species. A large number of
larvae may be found in each case, and the entire contents are usually
consumed before the end of the incubation period, which takes at least 6
months (Clausen 1940/62). In some
parts of North Africa and Europe, Attagenus,
Trogoderma and Dermestes species are important
predators on the eggs of gypsy moth and other Lepidoptera with similar egg
masses. Several species of Dermestes infest cocoons of
silkworms in Asian and Europe, although they are not believed to attack
living larvae or pupae within (Clausen 1940/62). There is a variety of
habits, most species being scavengers that feed on dry animal or plant
material such as skin or pollen, animal hair, feathers, dead insects and
natural fibers. Species of Dermestes occur in animal carcasses, while
others have been found in mammal, bird, bee, or wasp nests. Thaumaglossa
spp. only live in the egg cases of mantids, while Trogoderma species
attack stored grains. These beetles are
important in forensic entomology. Some species are known to be associated
with decaying carcasses which aid criminal investigations. Other species can
cause great damage to natural fibers
in urban areas. .
Dermestids have been used in museums to clean animal skeletons. Some species infest violin cases, where
they feed on the bow hair of violins. = = = = =
= = = = = = = = = = References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references
may be found at: MELVYL
Library] Byrd, J.
&. J. Castner. 2001. Forensic
Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations Catts, E. P.,
and M. L. Goff. 1992. Forensic entomology in criminal investigations. Annu.
Rev. Entomol. 37: 252–272. Goff, M.L.,
1993. Estimation of postmortem interval using arthropod development and
successional patterns. Forensic Sci. Rev. 5: 82–94. Koehler, P.
G. & F.M. Oi 1991.
Carpet Beetles. University of Florida IFAS Extension Richards, E.
N., and M. L. Goff. 1997. Arthropod succession on exposed carrion in three
contrasting tropical habitats on Hawaii Islands, Hawaii. J. Med. Entomol. 34: 328–339. Richardson, M.
S., Goff, M. L. 2001. Effects of Temperature and
Intraspecific Interaction on the Development of Dermestes maculatus
Coleoptera: Dermestidae. J. Med. Entomol. 383: 347–351. Velazquez,
Yelitza. 2007. A checklist of arthropods associated with rat carrion in a montane
locality of northern Venezuela. Forensic Science International. 174 2008 67–69. Vitta, A.
et al. 2007. A preliminary study on insects associated
with pig Sus scrofa carcasses in Phitsanulok, northern Thailand. Tropical
Biomedicine 242: 1–5 2007. Walker, K. 2008. Hide Beetle. Pest and
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