Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 21, 2026

Cryptolestes

Cryptolestes is a genus of beetles in the family Laemophloeidae. Several species are known as economically important pests of stored products, especially food grains. The four most notorious species are Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Cryptolestes pusilloides, Cryptolestes pusillus, and Cryptolestes turcicus. C. capensis, C. klapperichi, and C. ugandae are less widespread pests. Species in this genus can be hard to distinguish from one another, and definitive identification often requires close examination of the genitalia.

Last revised
Jul 21, 2026
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Wikipedia ↗
Cryptolestes
Cryptolestes klapperichi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Laemophloeidae
Genus: Cryptolestes
Ganglbauer, 1899

Cryptolestes is a genus of beetles in the family Laemophloeidae. Several species are known as economically important pests of stored products, especially food grains. The four most notorious species are Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Cryptolestes pusilloides, Cryptolestes pusillus, and Cryptolestes turcicus.1 C. capensis, C. klapperichi, and C. ugandae are less widespread pests.1 Species in this genus can be hard to distinguish from one another, and definitive identification often requires close examination of the genitalia.2

Species include:3

Cryptolestes turcicus source ↗
Cryptolestes uncicornis source ↗
Cryptolestes ferrugineus source ↗
  • Cryptolestes abietis Wankowicz
  • Cryptolestes ampiyacus Thomas
  • Cryptolestes atuloides Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes atulus Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes beccarii Grouvelle
  • Cryptolestes bicolor Chevrolat
  • Cryptolestes biskrensis Grouvelle
  • Cryptolestes brunneus Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes calabozus Thomas
  • Cryptolestes candius Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes capensis Waltl
  • Cryptolestes capillulus Thomas
  • Cryptolestes cornutus Thomas & Zimmerman
  • Cryptolestes corticinus Erichson
  • Cryptolestes curus Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes diemenensis Blackburn
  • Cryptolestes divaricatus Grouvelle
  • Cryptolestes duplicatus Waltl
  • Cryptolestes dybasi Thomas
  • Cryptolestes evansi Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes fauveli Grouvelle
  • Cryptolestes ferrugineus Stephens – rusty grain beetle
  • Cryptolestes fractipennis Motschulsky
  • Cryptolestes fursovi Iablokoff-Khnzorian
  • Cryptolestes halevyae Thomas
  • Cryptolestes incertus Grouvelle
  • Cryptolestes inyoensis4
  • Cryptolestes klapperichi Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes lepesmei Villiers
  • Cryptolestes mexicanus Thomas
  • Cryptolestes minimus Lefkovitch
  • Cryptolestes obesus4
  • Cryptolestes planulatus Grouvelle
  • Cryptolestes pubescens Casey
  • Cryptolestes punctatus LeConte
  • Cryptolestes pusilloides Steel & Howe
  • Cryptolestes pusillus Schonherr – flat grain beetle
  • Cryptolestes robinclarkei5
  • Cryptolestes schwarzi Casey
  • Cryptolestes spartii Curtis
  • Cryptolestes spatulifer Thomas
  • Cryptolestes spectabilis4
  • Cryptolestes trinidadensis Thomas
  • Cryptolestes turcicus Grouvelle – flour mill beetle
  • Cryptolestes turnbowi4
  • Cryptolestes ugandae Steel & Howe
  • Cryptolestes uncicornis Reitter
  • Cryptolestes weisei Reitter
References

References

  1. Thomas, M. C. (1988). A revision of the new world species of Cryptolestes Ganglbauer (Coleoptera: Cucujidae: Laemophloeinae). Insecta Mundi 2(1), 43-65. paper 495.
  2. Laemophloeidae of Florida. Coleoptera. Museum of Entomology. Florida State Collection of Arthropods (FSCA), Gainesville.
  3. Laemophloeidae Species List Archived 2012-10-23 at the Wayback Machine at Joel Hallan’s Biology Catalog. Texas A&M University. Retrieved on 15 May 2012.
  4. Thomas, M. C. (2002). Descriptions of four new species of Cryptolestes Ganglbauer, with a revised key to the New World species and notes on other species (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae). Insecta Mundi 16(1-3) 147-55. paper 547.
  5. Thomas, M. C. (2002). A new species of Cryptolestes Ganglbauer (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) from Bolivia. Insecta Mundi 16(4), 251. paper 559.