Skulls Unlimited International
Skulls Unlimited International, Inc. is a commercial supplier of osteological specimens located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Skulls Unlimited Inc. provides a skull cleaning service, using dermestid beetles to strip the flesh from skulls and skeletons. The bones are later whitened using hydrogen peroxide. Skulls Unlimited processes approximately 25,000 skull specimens per year.
Skulls Unlimited International
Skulls Unlimited and the Museum of Osteology, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Skulls Unlimited's gift shop
Dermestid beetles being used to clean a human skull at Skulls Unlimited International
Dermestidae are a family of Coleoptera that are commonly referred to as skin beetles. Other common names include larder beetle, hide or leather beetles, carpet beetles, and khapra beetles. There are over 1,800 species described.
Dermestidae
Dermestid beetles being used to clean a human skull at Skulls Unlimited International, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Lateral view (Dermestes maculatus)
Head view (D. maculatus)