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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Bostrichoidea » Carpet Beetles (Dermestidae) » Megatominae » Anthrenini » Anthrenus » Subgenus Anthrenus (Anthrenus Subgenus Anthrenus) » Bird Nest Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus isabellinus)

Species Anthrenus isabellinus - Bird Nest Carpet Beetle

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Works Cited
Carpet Beetle? - Anthrenus isabellinus Giant carpet beetle - Anthrenus isabellinus Beetle IMG_9886 - Anthrenus isabellinus Anthrenus pimpinellae? - Anthrenus isabellinus Anthrenus pimpinellae? - Anthrenus isabellinus Pennsylvania Beetle - Anthrenus isabellinus Pennsylvania Beetle - Anthrenus isabellinus Anthrenus sp. - Anthrenus isabellinus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
Superfamily Bostrichoidea
Family Dermestidae (Carpet Beetles)
Subfamily Megatominae
Tribe Anthrenini
Genus Anthrenus
No Taxon (Subgenus Anthrenus)
Species isabellinus (Bird Nest Carpet Beetle)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Anthrenus dorsatus Mulsant & Rey 1868; Anthrenus pimpinellae pimpinellae of American authors; ≡Anthrenus pimpinellae isabellinus
A. pimpinellae of American authors was found conspecific with A. dorsatus Mulsant & Rey 1868, synonymous with A. isabellinus Küster 1848 that used to be considered a var. of A. pimpinellae; A. pimpinellae (Fabricius 1775) is now treated as a separate species that probably does not occur in North America(1)
Explanation of Names
Anthrenus isabellinus Küster 1848
Size
3.8‒4.5 mm
Identification
Eyes notched in front, antennae 11-segmented, with club of 3 segments. Scales of dorsal surface black, white and red (or yellow). White scales forming some small spots, and a wide transverse band in anteriour half of elytra; or white scales dominant.
Difficult to separate from related taxa in its native range; occurs in two distinct color forms:
f. isabellinus ‒ pale scales prevail, elytra with a dark area at base only
f. dorsatus ‒ a wide pale crossband, like in the Palearctic A. pimpinellae
f. dorsatus f. isabellinus
The dorsatus form is dominant in North America, and has been taken for A. pimpinellae insofar (2020)(1). However, male genitalia are markedly different; externally, both species can be separated most easily by the underside(2):
A. pimpinellae: abdomen with large black lateral patches on 1st ventrite, mixed white/yellowish scales
A. isabellinus: sublateral dark patches on 1st ventrite lacking or small, background scales pure white
Range
Native to the Mediterranean, adventive in NA (across the US + BC)
Habitat
mostly outdoors; larvae in bird nests, adults on flowers in the spring, then move either to bird nests or indoors(3)
Works Cited
1.Anthrenus dorsatus new to the United States and a comparison with Anthrenus pimpinellae ssp. pimpinellae (Col: Dermestidae)
Holloway, G. J., et al. 2020. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 93(2): 153 - 163.
2.Revision of taxonomic status of Anthrenus pimpinellae isabellinus (Coleoptera: Dermestidae)
Holloway, G. J., et al. 2020. European Journal of Entomology 117: 481 - 489.
3.Handbook of urban insects and arachnids: A handbook of urban entomology
Robinson W.H. 2005. Cambridge University Press.
Contributed by Boris Büche on 4 June, 2021 - 2:31am
Additional contributions by Mike Quinn, v belov, PaleoJon
Last updated 25 February, 2025 - 7:22pm

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