Mezium affine

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Coleopterida
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Polyphaga
Infraordo: Bostrichiformia
Superfamilia: Bostrichoidea

Familia: Ptinidae
Subfamilia: Gibbiinae
Genus: Mezium
Species: Mezium affine
Name

Mezium affine Boieldieu, 1856

References
Primary references

Boieldieu, [A.A.] 1856: Monographie des Ptiniores. Annales de la Société entomologique de France (3), 4: 629–686. BHL [first availability, see p. 674]

selected references

Hinton, H.E. 1941: The Ptinidae of economic importance. Bulletin of entomological research, 31(4): 331–381. DOI: 10.1017/S0007485300005101 [see p. 335, and fig. 1]

New Zealand references

Archibald, R.D.; Chalmers, I. 1983: Stored product Coleoptera in New Zealand. New Zealand entomologist, 7: 371–397. abstract and pdf BUGZ [see p. 379]
Archibald, R.D.; Maddison, P.A. 1988: A summary of stored product Coleoptera in New Zealand and neighbouring Pacific countries. New Zealand entomologist, 11: 1–6. abstract and pdf BUGZ [see table 1 on p. 3]
Macfarlane, R.P., Maddison, P.A., Andrew, I.G., Berry, J.A., Johns, P.M., Hoare, R.J.B., Larivière, M.-C., Greenslade, P., Henderson, R.C., Smithers, C.N., Palma, R.L., Ward, J.B., Pilgrim, R.L.C., Towns, D.R., McLellan, I., Teulon, D.A.J., Hitchings, T.R., Eastop, V.F., Martin, N.A., Fletcher, M.J., Stufkens, M.A.W., Dale, P.J., Burckhardt, D., Buckley, T.R. & Trewick, S.A. 2010. Phylum Arthropoda subphylum Hexapoda: Protura, springtails, Diplura, and insects. Pp. 233–467 in: Gordon, D.P. (ed.) 2010. New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume 2. Kingdom Animalia. Chaetognatha, Ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch, New Zealand. Reference page. PDF. Reference page. [423, listed]
Wise, K.A.J. 1956: Pests of stored products in New Zealand II-family Ptinidae (Coleoptera). New Zealand journal of science and technology (B), 37(4): 503–508. BUGZ [see p. 503]

Links

EoL

Mezium affine is a species of beetle in the family Ptinidae. Its common names include shiny spider beetle, northern spider beetle,[1] and hood spider beetle.[2] It occurs throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and it is an introduced species in Australia.[1]

This beetle is 1.5 to 3.5 millimetres (0.059 to 0.138 in) long with a very convex oval body. The abdomen is reddish brown to black, and the legs, antennae, and other parts are cream-colored.[1] The head, thorax, and legs have a coating of scaly yellowish or gray hairs. The rounded body shape earned it the common name spider beetle. The larva is up to 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in) long and yellowish white in color with a brownish head. It is coated in yellowish hairs.[2]

The larvae infest stored food and other products. They are known to live on grain, spices, fish meal, dog biscuits, dried fruit,[1] dried meat, dried mushrooms, seeds, wool, hair, feathers, skins, book bindings, dead insects, feces, and sugar.[2] It can be found in libraries and museums, where it may damage specimens and collections.[2]
References

Shiny spider beetle, Mezium affine. Pests and Diseases Image Library (PaDIL) Australia.
Mezium affine (Boieldieu, 1856). Insectes du Patrimoine Culturel.