Ptinomorphus imperialis

Scientific profile

Ptinomorphus imperialis is a member of the family Anobiidae. Adults are very small, with a mean body length of 5.01 mm and a body mass of approximately 0.0104 g. The body is rounded (body roundness 0.789), with a width of 2.07 mm and height of 1.63 mm. The elytra measure 3.42 mm in length and 1.06 mm in width at maximum. The pronotum is 1.16 mm long and 1.15 mm wide. The head is 0.98 mm long, with a width of 1.02 mm, and the eyes have an area of 0.075 mm². Antennae are relatively short at 2.50 mm. Wing metrics: wing length 6.53 mm, wing width 2.59 mm, wing area 13.77 mm², giving a wing loading of 0.756 and an aspect ratio of 2.53. The residual wing loading is 0.556, and residuals for several dimensions indicate moderate deviation from expected allometric trends. The cuticle has a high colour lightness value (120.75), suggesting a pale appearance. The body is moderately hairy, with a total hairiness score of 51.7; the densest hair cover occurs on the dorsal head (63.7) and pronotum (55.9), while the ventral abdomen is less hairy (40.0). Leg segment lengths: fore femur 1.08 mm, mid femur 1.30 mm, hind femur 1.17 mm; corresponding tibia lengths are similar. No sexual dimorphism has been detected (score 0). In the United Kingdom, the species is recorded as present but with indeterminate status, and there is no evidence of an established introduced population. In Germany, its red‑list classification is ‘*’ (not endangered) and the population trend is unknown (‘h’).