''Dienerella filum'', the common plaster beetle, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of fungus beetle in the family

Latridiidae Latridiidae (sometimes spelled "Lathridiidae") is a family of tiny, little-known beetles commonly called minute brown scavenger beetles or fungus beetles. The number of described species currently stands at around 1050 in 29 genera but the number ...

. It is found in damp conditions in buildings throughout the world, feeding on mould growing on the walls, and on poorly-stored products.

Description

The adult common plaster beetle is between in length and brown in colour. The club at the tip of the antennae is formed from two segments which is in contrast to other members of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Dienerella ''Dienerella'' is a genus of beetles in the family Latridiidae, containing the following species:Rucker, Wolfgang H. (2010). �Checklist Latridiidae & Merophysiinae of the World. Checklist Latridiidae & Merophysiinae of the World.�� . Retrieved on ...

'' which have a three-segmented club. The head has a suture along the midline, and the front half of the thoracic shield has a wide, fairly deep depression. There are no hind wings and this beetle cannot fly. The larva is whitish and reaches when fully grown and the

pupa A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...

is cream-coloured and about long.

Distribution and habitat

The common plaster beetle has near

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...

and is the most common, house-infesting, member of its large family. It is typically found in old warehouses and cellars, places with damp and crumbling

plaster Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for Molding (decorative), moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of ...

, under loose

wallpaper Wallpaper is a material used in interior decoration to decorate the interior walls of domestic and public buildings. It is usually sold in rolls and is applied onto a wall using wallpaper paste. Wallpapers can come plain as "lining paper" (so t ...

, around leaking water pipes and ill-fitting windows, in fact anywhere indoors affected by moulds, which form its main diet. The beetles often appear in houses that are being renovated and replastered, especially where wallpaper is applied to the wall before the new plaster has properly dried out. They usually take three to four months to appear, but occasionally may take a year. It also infests improperly stored products such as mouldy bread, grain,

cereal A cereal is any Poaceae, grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, Cereal germ, germ, and bran. Cereal Grain, grain crops are grown in greater quantit ...

products,

dried fruit Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to th ...

, dried

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...

and

herbarium A herbarium (plural: herbaria) is a collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study. The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts; these will usually be in dried form mounted on a sheet of paper (called ...

specimens. Hygiene problems in a hospital have been linked with infestations of ''Dienerella filum''.

Ecology

The diet of the common plaster beetle consists of the

hypha A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one or ...

e and

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

s of moulds, and the spores of

slime mould Slime mold or slime mould is an informal name given to several kinds of unrelated eukaryotic organisms with a life cycle that includes a free-living single-celled stage and the formation of spores. Spores are often produced in macroscopic mu ...

s. The female beetle lays about twenty eggs during its life, singly in suitable spots. At development may take about five weeks, but may take five months in colder environments.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q2625788 Beetles described in 1850 Latridiidae Taxa named by Charles Nicholas Aubé