Tribe Callicorini

Between about six and seventeen genera are recognized, depending upon the authority.

A varied group in pattern and coloration. Most are dark brownish to black above (some are almost entirely orange with darker markings), and many have reflective greens, blues, or purples in large spots or stripes on the upper side of the wings in males and often females. Some have large bold whitish, yellow, orange, or red markings above in males. The pattern on the hind wing below tends to be either pale with a few dark cross lines and eye spots weakly indicated; or, boldly banded and swirled with white/yellow and black, often with red and/or blue highlights, and with prominent postmedian eye spots. They eye spots are most often fused into two groups (producing the 88, 98, or 99 pattern so well known). In some the eye spots become pale bluish spots in a field of black, while in Asterope there are usually several black spots in curved rows. These butterflies are mostly smallish in size. The veins of the forewing are typically a little more swollen at the base than average.

Eggs do not have thin spines (present in tribe Biblidini), and are roughly rounded with vertical ribs. Larvae have horns on head that are "bulb" tipped and rows of branching spines on the body, including a mid-dorsal row.

All are Neotropical in distribution, with few species resident north of Mexico, and few more occasionally straying north into our area.

Where known, all use Sapindaceae as larval hosts.

As recognized here, the "tribes" or "subtribes" Callicorini and Epiphilini are placed together. This is for convenience, as there are few species represented in North America north of Mexico, and because they are clearly very closely related to one another. This arrangement is likely temporary.

There is but little morphological or molecular evidence to support separation of these as different tribes, and their classification seems to still be in a state of flux as more is learned. Several genera are still of uncertain placement when the two tribes are "split". The distinction from several other "tribes" of Biblidini is weak, but this more derived group has the distinction of using Sapindaceae instead of Euphorbiaceae as larval hosts, and clearly form a cohesive group together (although they also clearly derived from within the Ageroniini [senus latu]). They are placed here under a separate heading.

Most recently, the following arrangement is usually made at either subtribe [ending in "ina"] or tribe [ending in "ini"] level:

These are very active and alert butterflies, often difficult to get a good long look at as they flit about and chase other passing creatures.