The Epipleminae or epiplemiine moths are a subfamily of the lepidopteran family Uraniidae. The subfamily was first described by George Hampson in 1892. They are the most diverse and widespread uraniid group, occurring mainly throughout the Pantropics but barely reaching into the temperate regions. The Epipleminae are notable for the sexually dimorphic tympanal organ which is unlike any other lepidopteran's in details of its morphology. Some species are also peculiar in being able to roll their wings into a stick-like shape, possibly as a form of crypsis. Such behavior has hitherto only been found in this subfamily and the quite unrelated Ennominae (Sohn & Yen 2005).
Unlike the often colorful Uraniinae, they are smallish and drab species, and have earlier been erroneously placed with the Geometridae or Drepanidae based on phenetic considerations. Only three species have come to note as minor pests of commercial plants:
Leucoplema dohertyi
Epiplema fulvilinea – does not belong into this genus
Dysaethria moza – formerly Epiplema
Genera
This list of genera is preliminary. A complete review of the subfamily seems hardly possible as a monographical work given its diversity, so it will probably be reviewed piecemeal (e.g. Sohn & Yen 2005). Several genera are known (Epiplema) or suspected (Monobolodes, Phazaca) not to be monophyletic, or may be altogether invalid (Sohn & Yen 2005).
Acropterygia
Alaplena
Anorthodisca
Antiplecta
Aoratosema
Aorista
Aphyodes
Arussiana
Asyngria
Bicavernosa
Calledapteryx
Callizzia
Capnophylla
Cathetus
Ceronaba
Chaetoceras
Chaetopyga
Chionoplema
Chrysocestis
Chundana
Cirrhura
Coelura
Coeluromima
Coelurotricha
Crypsicoela
Dasmeuda
Decetiodes
Dicroplema
Dysaethria
Dysrhombia
Epiplema (polyphyletic) Erosia Europlema Eversmannia Falcinodes Gathynia Gymnoplocia Heteroplema Hyperplema Hypophysaria Hypoplema Leuconotha Leucoplema Lophopygia Lophotosoma Macrostylodes Madepiplema Meleaba Menda Mesoglypta Metorthocheilus Microniodes Molybdophora Monobolodes – includes Cathetus. Monophyly requires confirmation. Monoplema Morphomima Nedusia Neodeta Neodirades Neoplema Notoptya Nyctibadistes Oroplema Orudiza Paloda Paradecetia Paradirades Paroecia Paurophlebs Phazaca - includes Balantiucha, Dirades, Diradopsis, Homoplexis, Lobogethes. Monophyly requires confirmation. Philagraula Platerosia Powondrella Psamathia Pseudhyria Pseudodirades Pterotosoma Rhombophylla Saccoploca Schidax Siculodopsis Skaphion Symphytophleps Syngria Syngriodes Thysanocraspeda Tricolpia Trotorhombia Warreniplema
References
Sohn, Jae-Cheon & Yen, Shen-Horn (2005). "A Taxonomic Revision of the Korean Epipleminae (Lepidoptera: Uraniidae), with Phylogenetic Comments on the Involved Genera". Zoological Studies. 44(1): 44–70.