Calosoma

{{Short description|Genus of beetles}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Calosoma.sycophanta.-.calwer.04.09.jpg

| image_caption = Calosoma sycophanta

| taxon = Calosoma

| authority = Weber, 1801

| subdivision_ranks = Subgenera

| subdivision =

: 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 = {{collapsible list|bullets = true

| 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}}

}}

File:Calosoma planicolle Chaudoir, 1869 (3586591230) (2).jpg

File:Calosoma senegalense Dejean, 1831 (3887607030).jpg

File:Calosoma scrutator by Alejandro Santillana "Insects Unlocked" Project.jpg

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.Powell & Hogue (1979), California Insects. p. 262.

Calosoma has about 20 subgenera, including some former genera such as Callisthenes.