Phoberus elmariae is a species of hide beetle in the subfamily Troginae discovered by the scientists van de Merwe and Scholtz in 2005.

Within the genus Phoberus, P. elmariae is most similar to P. natalensis and P. quadricostatus; in fact, females of the three species are almost completely identical, and only the shape of their male genitalia can reliably distinguish the three species.

The elytra, or forewings, of the beetle have flattened sides and are fringed laterally with short hair-like setae.

Like other hide beetles, this species' elytra are covered under hard carapaces; P. elmariae's exoskeleton shell on the abdomen is black and bumpy, with brown and orange spikes.

[3] P. elmariae lives in grassveld within the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.