The chalcosiines comprise about 400 species in 70 genera from the Oriental, E. Palaearctic and Indo-Australian regions, plus one small genus restricted to S. Europe. Compared with other zygaenoid family groups, the chalcosiines exhibit the greatest diversity in mimicry, sexual dimorphism, chemical defence, scent organs, copulatory mechanisms, hostplant utilization and diapause biology. The present research is focused on the genus-level phylogeny, using more than 300 morphological characters obtained from 145 species-groups plus 17 outgroups. The phylogenetic analyses have revealed: (1) that either Zygaenidae or Chalcosiinae is not monophyletic; (2) a new sister-group relationship, viz. (Zygaeninae+((Callizygaeninae+Cleoda) + (Heteropan +Chalcosiinae))), should be recognised; (3) chalcosiine synapomorphies include structures of the chemical defence system, scent organs and male genitalia; and, (4) the mimic complexes of the chalcosiines have involved to 30 families of 4 orders, thus the wing patterns have caused a very misleading classification; (5) reductions of the male genitalia in some groups are accompanied by morphological and functional replacement involving the 8th abdominal segment; (6) hostplant use of Chalcosiinae shows very low correlation with plant phylogeny and indicates their recent radiation in the SE. Asia. The phylogeny suggests that the Chalcosiinae most probably originated in N. India rather from the Africa+Madagascar. A metathoracic androconial organ and a series of abdominal tergal scent organs have been discovered, both being new to Lepidoptera. In addition, sexually dimorphic Muellerian mimicry has been discovered for the first time in some clades. The disjunctive distribution of European Aglaope is more likely due to secondary colonization from the Himalayas.
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