Calosoma

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
Calosoma sycophanta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Adephaga
Family:	Carabidae
Tribe:	Carabini
Genus:	Calosoma Weber, 1801
Subgenera
Blaptosoma Gehin, 1876 Callisphaena Motschulsky, 1859 Callistenia Lapouge, 1929 Callisthenes Fischer von Waldheim, 1820 Callitropa Motschulsky, 1866 Calopachys Haury, 1880 Calosoma Weber, 1801 Caminara Motschulsky, 1866 Campalita Motschulsky, 1866 Carabomimus Kolbe, 1895 Carabomorphus Kolbe, 1895 Carabophanus Kolbe, 1895 Carabops Jakobson, 1900 Carabosoma Géhin, 1885 Castrida Motschulsky, 1866 Charmosta Motschulsky, 1866 Chrysostigma Kirby, 1837 Ctenosta Motschulsky, 1866 Elgonorites Jeannel, 1940 Microcallisthenes Apfelbeck, 1918 Neocalosoma Breuning, 1927 Orinodromus Kolbe, 1895 Teratexis Semenov & Znojko, 1933
Synonyms
List Callisoma Agassiz, 1846 (Unj. Emend.) Calamata Motschulsky, 1865 Callistriga Motschulsky, 1865 Callipara Motschulsky, 1866 Callistrata Motschulsky, 1866 Camedula Motschulsky, 1866 Calodrepa Motschulsky, 1866 Campolyta Motschulsky, 1866 Cosmoplata Motschulsky, 1866 Eutelodontum Gehin, 1881 Aulacopterum Gehin, 1885 Tapinosthenes Kolbe, 1895 Calister Reitter, 1896 Acamegonia Lapouge, 1924 Camegonia Lapouge, 1924 Isostenia Lapouge, 1929 Microcalosoma Breuning, 1927 Paracalosoma Breuning, 1927 Syncalosoma Breuning, 1927 Acampalita Lapouge, 1929 Australodrepa Lapouge, 1929 Catasoma Lapouge, 1929 Catastriga Lapouge, 1929 Eremosoma Lapouge, 1929 Lyperostenia Lapouge, 1929 Paratropa Lapouge, 1929 Acalosoma Lafer, 1989/1990

Calosoma planicolle

Calosoma senegalense

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

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