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

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. sternbergi's exoskeleton shell on the abdomen is dark red and bumpy, with orange spikes.

This hide beetle species' exoskeleton on the head and pronotum is a dark leather-black.

[3] P. sternbergi has a triangular clypeus, which refers to the shape of the exoskeleton plate covering its head.