Calpinae

Joshi, Rahul, Zahiri, Reza, Banerjee, Diya & Singh, Navneet, 2025, A catalogue of the Erebidae of India (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea), Zootaxa 5635 (1), pp. 1-247 : 11

8. Calpinae

Adult characters. Calpinae have a characteristic forewing shape with a strongly sinuous dorsal margin, a lobe between the antemedial and postmedial fasciae, and a slight hook or falcation at the tornus. The postmedial line is usually strongly oblique over at least its posterior half and intersects the dorsum, positioned approximately in the central two-thirds. ( Holloway 2005). Calpini have highly robust, sharply pointed and apically edged proboscis, armed with erectile barbs and tearing hooks (modified sensilla) used for piercing the skin of fruits and mammals ( Bänziger 1987; Zahiri et al 2012).

Larval characters. Larvae are often heterochromic, changing pattern and coloration abruptly in different instars; abdominal prolegs are variably reduced.

Diversity and distribution. Zaspel & Branham (2008) provided a world checklist of 176 species in Calpini . Though, the exact number of species, genera and limits of Calpinae are still disputed, but as per recent concept ( Holloway 2011; Zahiri et al. 2012), the subfamily contains fewer than 250 species worldwide. From India, 45 species in 18 genera are known.