Gelechioid
Guides
Dafa formosella
Beautiful Dafa Moth
A gelechioid moth in the concealer moth family Oecophoridae, currently classified in genus Dafa. The species was originally described by Denis & Schiffermüller in 1775 and has undergone multiple taxonomic revisions, previously placed in genera Callima and Epicallima. It is known from scattered records in Belgium and has been documented through citizen science observations.
Depressariidae
Flat-bodied moths
Depressariidae is a family of moths comprising approximately 2,300 species worldwide. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Gelechiidae, it is now recognized as a distinct family within the superfamily Gelechioidea. The family includes ten subfamilies: Acriinae, Aeolanthinae, Cryptolechiinae, Depressariinae, Ethmiinae, Hypercalliinae, Hypertrophinae, Oditinae, Peleopodinae, and Stenomatinae. Several genera, including Carcina, Gonionota, Machimia, Himmacia, and Psilocorsis, remain unplaced within the subfamily structure. Members of this family exhibit diverse larval feeding habits, with many species specialized on particular plant families.
Depressariinae
Depressariinae is a subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea, comprising approximately 600 species as of 1999. Modern classifications treat this group as the distinct family Depressariidae, though its taxonomic position has historically varied, with placements in Elachistidae sensu lato or expanded Oecophoridae. The group exhibits highest diversity in temperate regions, particularly the Holarctic, and is presumed to be of Palaearctic origin. Larvae typically develop in leaves spun together with silk, as stem borers, or as seed and flower feeders of dicotyledonous plants.
Ethmia
Ethmia is a large genus of small gelechioid moths comprising over 250 described species globally. The genus serves as the type genus for family Ethmiidae (sometimes treated as subfamily within Elachistidae or Oecophoridae). Species are characterized by distinctive black, white, and gray patterned forewings, and most larvae feed on plants in the Boraginaceae family, with Gesneriaceae recorded as an additional host family in the Neotropics. The genus exhibits greatest diversity in arid and semi-arid regions, with substantial radiations in southwestern North America and the Neotropics.
Holcocera
Holcocera is a genus of gelechioid moths comprising approximately 70 described species, classified in the family Blastobasidae and tribe Holcocerini. The genus has been documented across multiple continents including North America, Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia. Multiple species have documented associations with specific host plants, including conifers (Pinaceae), fruit trees (Prunus), and leguminous plants.
Pleurota
Pleurota is a genus of moths in the family Oecophoridae, first described by Hübner in 1825. The genus is the namesake of the subfamily Pleurotinae. Species are distributed across Europe, southern Africa, and North America, with additional records from Scandinavia. The genus contains multiple recognized species, though detailed species-level documentation remains limited in available sources.