Calosoma

Calosoma
Calosoma sycophanta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Adephaga
Family:	Carabidae
Tribe:	Carabini
Genus:	Calosoma Weber, 1801
Subgenera
BlaptosomaGehin, 1876 CallisphaenaMotschulsky, 1859 CallisteniaLapouge, 1929 CallisthenesFischer von Waldheim, 1820 CallitropaMotschulsky, 1866 CalopachysHaury, 1880 CalosomaWeber, 1801 CaminaraMotschulsky, 1866 CampalitaMotschulsky, 1866 CarabomimusKolbe, 1895 CarabomorphusKolbe, 1895 CarabophanusKolbe, 1895 CarabopsJakobson, 1900 CarabosomaGéhin, 1885 CastridaMotschulsky, 1866 CharmostaMotschulsky, 1866 ChrysostigmaKirby, 1837 CtenostaMotschulsky, 1866 ElgonoritesJeannel, 1940 MicrocallisthenesApfelbeck, 1918 NeocalosomaBreuning, 1927 OrinodromusKolbe, 1895 TeratexisSemenov & Znojko, 1933
Synonyms
List CallisomaAgassiz, 1846 (Unj. Emend.) CalamataMotschulsky, 1865 CallistrigaMotschulsky, 1865 CalliparaMotschulsky, 1866 CallistrataMotschulsky, 1866 CamedulaMotschulsky, 1866 CalodrepaMotschulsky, 1866 CampolytaMotschulsky, 1866 CosmoplataMotschulsky, 1866 EutelodontumGehin, 1881 AulacopterumGehin, 1885 TapinosthenesKolbe, 1895 CalisterReitter, 1896 AcamegoniaLapouge, 1924 CamegoniaLapouge, 1924 IsosteniaLapouge, 1929 MicrocalosomaBreuning, 1927 ParacalosomaBreuning, 1927 SyncalosomaBreuning, 1927 AcampalitaLapouge, 1929 AustralodrepaLapouge, 1929 CatasomaLapouge, 1929 CatastrigaLapouge, 1929 EremosomaLapouge, 1929 LyperosteniaLapouge, 1929 ParatropaLapouge, 1929 AcalosomaLafer, 1989/1990

Calosoma planicolle

Calosoma senegalense

Calosoma scrutator by Alejandro Santillana "Insects Unlocked" Project, University of Texas at Austin

Calosoma is a genus of large ground beetles that occur primarily throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and are referred to as caterpillar hunters or caterpillar searchers. Many of the 167 species are largely or entirely black, but some have bright metallic coloration. They produce a foul-smelling spray from glands near the tip of the abdomen. They are recognizable due to their large thorax, which is almost the size of their abdomen and much wider than their head. ^[1]

Calosoma has about 20 subgenera, including some former genera such as Callisthenes. ^{[2] [3]}

History

In 1905, Calosoma sycophanta was imported to New England for control of the spongy moth. The species is a voracious consumer of caterpillars during both its larval stage and as an adult, as are other species in the genus. For this reason, they are generally considered beneficial insects. Several species of this beetle, most notably the black calosoma (Calosoma semilaeve) are especially common in the California area.

See also

• List of Calosoma species

References

1. Powell & Hogue (1979), California Insects. p. 262.
2. "Calosoma Weber, 1801". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
3. Bruschi, Sandro. "Calosoma of the World" . Retrieved 2023-03-16.

• Friedrich Weber 1801: Obs. Ent., 20; Fabricius 1801, Syst. Eleuth., 1: 211.
• Ground beetles of the genus Calosoma (Carabidae): atlas of beetles of Russia
• Detailed catalogue of ground beetles of the genus Callisthenes Fischer von Waldheim, 1821
• Powell & Hogue (1979), California Insects. p. 262.

External links

• Media related to Calosoma at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Calosoma at Wikispecies
• Ground Beetles, Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Forest Caterpillar Hunter, BioLib.cz.