Epipleminae
Epipleminae, also called epiplemiine moths, are a subfamily of moths in the Uraniidae family. They were described by George Hampson in 1892. They are the most diverse and widespread group within Uraniidae, found mainly in tropical regions worldwide and only rarely in temperate zones.
A distinctive feature is a sexually dimorphic tympanal organ, the hearing organ that differs between males and females and is unique in its details among moths. Some species can roll their wings into a stick-like shape to hide themselves, a behavior that is unusual and has been observed in this group and, separately, in the unrelated Ennominae.
In appearance, Epipleminae are generally small and dull-colored, unlike the bright Uraniinae. Because of their look, they were once placed with other families such as Geometridae or those in the Drepanidae group based on appearance alone.
Only three species are known as minor pests of cultivated plants.
The genera within Epipleminae are numerous and the taxonomy is still unsettled; some genera such as Epiplema are known, while others like Monobolodes or Phazaca are suspected to be not monophyletic or may be invalid. Given the group's diversity, a single comprehensive review is unlikely, and work on the subfamily often proceeds in smaller studies.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:14 (CET).