Tineidae
Guides
Acrolophinae
Burrowing Webworm Moths, Tube Moths
Acrolophinae is a subfamily of small moths within the family Tineidae, containing approximately 300 species across five genera. Members are commonly known as burrowing webworm moths or tube moths due to larval habits. The group is restricted to the New World and is considered closely related to other Tineidae. Larvae construct silk tubes or burrows in which they feed and develop.
Acrolophus piger
piger grass tubeworm moth
Acrolophus piger, commonly known as the piger grass tubeworm moth, is a small moth in the family Tineidae (subfamily Acrolophinae). First described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1900, this species is found in the southeastern United States. The genus Acrolophus is known as "grass tubeworm moths" because larvae typically spin silken tubes at the base of grasses or grass roots for concealment while feeding. Adult wingspan is approximately 16 mm.
Amorophaga
Amorophaga is a genus of moths in the family Tineidae, established by Zagulyaev in 1966. The genus is poorly documented in scientific literature, with minimal published information on its constituent species, biology, or ecology. Records indicate it belongs to the diverse group of tineid moths, many of which are associated with detritus or keratinous materials.
Amorophaga cryptophori
Amorophaga cryptophori is a species of clothes moth in the family Tineidae, first described by Clarke in 1940. It belongs to a genus characterized by distinctive morphological features related to the phallus structure. The species has been recorded from Idaho, USA. Like other tineid moths, it likely has larvae that feed on keratinous materials, though specific life history details remain poorly documented.
Amydria californica
Amydria californica is a species of clothes moth in the family Tineidae. The species is known from California and is documented by a single observation record on iNaturalist. As a member of the Tineidae, it belongs to a family whose larvae typically feed on keratinous materials including wool, fur, feathers, and other animal-derived substances, though specific biology for this species remains undocumented.
Amydria curvistrigella
Amydria curvistrigella is a small moth species in the family Tineidae (formerly placed in Acrolophidae). It is known from the southwestern United States, specifically California and Arizona. The species was described by Dietz in 1905. Like other members of this family, it is likely associated with detritus or plant material, though specific biology remains poorly documented.
Amydria obliquella
A small moth in the family Tineidae, described by William G. Dietz in 1905. Records indicate presence at blacklighting events in California, suggesting nocturnal adult activity. The genus Amydria contains species whose larvae are often associated with detritus or plant material, though specific biology for this species remains poorly documented.
Cephimallota
Cephimallota is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, established by Bruand in 1851. The genus contains five described species distributed across the Palearctic region. These moths are classified within the clothes moth family Tineidae, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Cephimallota obscurostrigella
Cephimallota obscurostrigella is a species of clothes moth in the family Tineidae. The species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with limited published information on its biology and ecology. It belongs to a genus of small moths associated with keratinous materials and detritus. The specific epithet 'obscurostrigella' refers to dark longitudinal markings.
Ceratophaga
Ceratophaga is a genus of moths in the family Tineidae containing 16 described species. The genus is notable for its highly specialized larval diet: keratin from solid animal tissues, primarily horns and hooves of ungulates. Twelve species occur in Africa, three in Asia, and one species, C. vicinella, is found in the southeastern United States where it feeds on gopher tortoise shells. The genus name derives from Greek words for 'horn' (kéras) and 'eater' (phágos).
Ceratophaga vicinella
Gopher Tortoise Shell Moth
Ceratophaga vicinella is a highly specialized keratin-feeding moth in the family Tineidae. The larvae feed exclusively on the keratin shells of dead gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), making this species dependent on a single host source that is currently in decline. Adults are small, dark moths with distinctive cream-colored head tufts. The species has a restricted range in the southeastern United States and appears to be declining due to threats facing its tortoise host.
Daviscardia
Daviscardia is a genus of moths in the family Tineidae, established by Robinson in 1986. Members of this genus are small moths within the diverse Tineidae family, which includes many species associated with keratinous or detrital food sources. The genus is documented through approximately 40 iNaturalist observations, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Dyotopasta
Dyotopasta is a monotypic genus of moths in the family Tineidae. The genus contains a single species, Dyotopasta yumaella, which occurs in the southwestern United States. The genus was established by Busck in 1907.
Eccritothrix guenterella
A small moth species in the family Tineidae, described by Koçak in 1986. Known from a limited number of records in Kentucky, USA. The genus Eccritothrix contains few described species, and this taxon remains poorly documented in scientific literature.
Erechthias
fungus moths
Erechthias is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, comprising the type genus of subfamily Erechthiinae. The genus encompasses more than 150 species with disputed circumscription, including several previously recognized genera now treated as synonyms. Species occur across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with some showing pan-global distributions while others are highly endemic.
Eudarcia undescribed-meessiidae-two
Eudarcia undescribed-meessiidae-two is an undescribed species within the genus Eudarcia, a group of small moths in the subfamily Meessiinae. The species designation indicates it belongs to a lineage related to the family Meessiidae (now treated as Meessiinae within Tineidae), though formal taxonomic description has not been completed. Members of Eudarcia are generally associated with detritus and decaying organic matter. This particular taxon represents documented material awaiting formal scientific description.
Euprora
Euprora is a monotypic moth genus in the family Tineidae, established by Busck in 1906. The genus contains a single species, Euprora argentiliniella, found in the southern United States. Adults are small moths with distinctive silvery-white markings on golden ochreous forewings.
Haplotinea
Haplotinea is a small genus of fungus moths in the family Tineidae. Its subfamily placement remains disputed, with assignments to Myrmecozelinae, Nemapogoninae, or Perissomasticinae proposed by different authors. The genus was described by Diakonoff and Hinton in 1956. Its phylogenetic relationships within Tineidae are poorly resolved.
Hapsiferinae
Hapsiferinae is a subfamily of moths in the family Tineidae, comprising approximately 20 described genera distributed across multiple continents. The subfamily includes the genus Rooiklipia, described from the Namib Desert in 2021. Members of this subfamily are classified within the superfamily Tineoidea.
Hieroxestinae
Hieroxestinae is a subfamily of moths within the family Tineidae, comprising approximately 275 valid species across six genera. The group shows notable biogeographic patterns, with significant radiations of Opogona and Amphixystis on Indian Ocean islands and a distinct radiation of Opogona on St Helena in the South Atlantic. The subfamily is predominantly tropical in distribution and depauperate in the Americas.
Homosetia n-sp-five
Homosetia n-sp-five is an undescribed species within the genus Homosetia, a group of small moths in the family Tineidae. As a species-level entity awaiting formal description, it has been recognized as distinct from described congeners but lacks published diagnostic documentation. The genus Homosetia is characterized by reduced wing venation and specialized head scaling. This species contributes to the documented diversity of Tineidae in regions where Homosetia occurs.
Homosetia n-sp-one
Homosetia n-sp-one is an undescribed species within the genus Homosetia, a group of small moths in the family Tineidae. As a species not yet formally described, its distinguishing characteristics and biology remain incompletely documented. The genus Homosetia belongs to the subfamily Meessiinae, which comprises small, often inconspicuous moths associated with diverse habitats. This species awaits formal taxonomic description and characterization.
Homosetia n-sp-three
Homosetia n-sp-three is an undescribed species within the tineid moth genus Homosetia. As a member of the family Tineidae, it belongs to a group commonly known as fungus moths or clothes moths, though specific ecological habits for this particular species remain undocumented. The designation "n-sp-three" indicates it has been recognized as a distinct taxonomic entity but awaits formal scientific description. Specimens have been catalogued in entomological collections, suggesting it has been collected from field surveys.
Kearfottia
Kearfottia is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, subfamily Scardiinae. These moths are part of the diverse group of clothes moths and related taxa, though specific ecological details for this genus remain poorly documented in accessible literature. The genus was established to accommodate species with distinctive genitalic characters separating them from related genera such as Scardia.
Lindera tessellatella
Bran moth
Lindera tessellatella is a small moth in the family Tineidae, the sole species in the monotypic genus Lindera. It is notable for its exceptionally broad geographic distribution across six continents, having been recorded from South America, Africa, Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Hawaii. The species was first described by Émile Blanchard in 1852 from South America, with the genus established two years later. Adults have a wingspan of 20–30 mm.
Monopis dorsistrigella
skunkback monopi
Monopis dorsistrigella, commonly known as the skunkback monopi, is a small clothes moth in the family Tineidae. It is assigned MONA/Hodges number 0416. The species was originally described as Tinea dorsistrigella by Clemens in 1859. Records indicate presence in the northeastern United States, specifically Pennsylvania and Vermont.
Montescardia
Montescardia is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, established by Amsel in 1952. The genus contains three described species distributed across Europe and North America. These moths are classified within the fungus moth family, though specific biological details for the genus remain limited in the literature.
Montescardia fuscofasciella
Montescardia fuscofasciella is a species of moth in the family Tineidae, described by Chambers in 1875. It belongs to a genus of small moths commonly associated with detritivorous or keratinophagous feeding habits. The species is known from limited records in the eastern United States.
Morophagoides
A genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, established by Petersen in 1957. The genus has a wide distribution and contains at least eight species in Japan, including four described in a 2015 revision based on adult morphological characters. The Japanese fauna comprises M. ussuriensis, M. moriutii, M. occidentalis, M. meridianus, and four newly described species: M. breviculus, M. robinsoni, M. aquilonis, and M. yakuensis. A potential synapomorphy has been proposed for this genus, though details of larval biology and host associations remain undocumented.
Morophagoides berkeleyella
Morophagoides berkeleyella is a species of clothes moth in the family Tineidae, described by Powell in 1968. It belongs to a genus of small moths associated with detritivorous or fungivorous feeding habits. The species is known from California, USA. Like other tineids, it likely occupies habitats rich in decaying organic matter.
Morophagoides burkerella
Morophagoides burkerella is a small moth species in the family Tineidae, originally described from Washington State in 1904. It belongs to a genus of fungi-feeding moths whose larvae develop in decaying wood and fungal substrates. The species is known from a limited number of records in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
Nemapogon
Fungus moths
Nemapogon is a genus of small tineid moths in the subfamily Nemapogoninae, comprising approximately 69 described species as of 2007. Species occupy woodland habitats where larvae develop within bracket fungi on dead wood. Some species are attracted to light and may occasionally be captured in pheromone traps intended for clothes moths. The genus includes species with divergent feeding habits: most are fungivores, while at least one species (N. gersimovi) has been intercepted feeding on stored seeds and grains.
Nemapogon clematella
Barred White Clothes Moth
Nemapogon clematella, commonly known as the barred white clothes moth, is a small moth in the family Tineidae. It occurs across most of Europe and parts of eastern North America, including Maryland and North Carolina. The species inhabits woodland environments. It belongs to a genus that includes several species associated with stored products and seed-feeding.
Niditinea orleansella
clothes moth
Niditinea orleansella is a small moth in the family Tineidae, commonly known as the clothes moths. The species was first described by Chambers in 1873 under the name Tinea orleansella. It is recorded from the United States and Canada, with observations concentrated in Louisiana and the prairie provinces of Canada. As a member of Tineidae, it likely feeds on keratinous materials, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Niditinea sabroskyi
Niditinea sabroskyi is a species of clothes moth described in 2018. It belongs to the family Tineidae, a group known for larvae that feed on keratinous materials. The species was named in honor of entomologist Curtis W. Sabrosky. Like congeners, it likely occupies habitats where animal-derived materials accumulate.
Oinophila
Oinophila is a small genus of fungus moths in the family Tineidae, subfamily Hieroxestinae. The genus name derives from Greek roots meaning "wine-lover," reflecting the association of its best-known species with wine cellars. The genus contains four nominal species, though two are provisionally placed and may not belong to this genus or even to Hieroxestinae. The most notable species, Oinophila v-flava, is commonly known as the wine moth.
Oinophila v-flava
Yellow V Moth
A small tineid moth with a wingspan of approximately 10 mm, widespread across temperate zones worldwide. Adults are active in the evening during summer months in western Europe. The species has established populations in New Zealand since 2001.
Opogona
Opogona n-sp is an undescribed species in the family Tineidae, a group of small moths commonly known as fungus moths or clothes moths. The genus Opogona contains several economically significant species, including the Opogona crown borer (O. omoscopa), which has been documented attacking strawberries and bird of paradise plants in California. This undescribed species has been recorded in blacklighting surveys conducted at the Bohart Museum of Entomology at UC Davis, indicating it is part of the nocturnal moth fauna of the region. As a newly recognized but not yet formally described species, its biology and distribution remain incompletely known.
Opogona
fungus moths
Opogona is a genus of fungus moths in the family Tineidae, representing the type genus of subfamily Hieroxestinae. The genus is most diverse in tropical regions, with approximately 30 species known from Australia alone. Some species have been introduced outside their native ranges, including the banana moth (O. sacchari) and O. omoscopa in Europe. The genus exhibits exceptional radiation on St Helena Island in the South Atlantic, where 41 species occur, 31 of them endemic.
Pelecystola nearctica
Pelecystola nearctica is a small moth in the family Tineidae, described in 2009. It represents the first report of the Old World genus Pelecystola in North America. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in forewing length and has an extended adult flight period spanning spring through late summer.
Phaeoses
Phaeoses is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, first described by Forbes in 1922. The genus belongs to the diverse group of fungus moths and clothes moths. Species within Phaeoses are poorly documented in scientific literature, with limited published information on their biology and ecology.
Phereoeca praecox
Phereoeca praecox is a species of moth in the family Tineidae, first described by Gozmány & Vári in 1973. Records indicate presence in West Africa (Ghana, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone) and at least two confirmed records in South Carolina, USA. The species belongs to a genus whose members are commonly known as clothes moths or related tineids, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in accessible literature.
Philonome nigrescens
Philonome nigrescens is a small moth species in the family Tineidae, first described by Sohn and Davis in 2015. It is native to the southwestern United States, with confirmed records from Arizona and New Mexico. The species name derives from Latin 'nigrescere' (meaning 'verging on black'), referencing the dark ground color of the forewings. The species is characterized by distinctive wing markings including white longitudinal and costal fasciae on dark brown forewings with a coppery luster.
Phryganeopsis brunnea
Phryganeopsis brunnea is a species of moth in the family Tineidae, the sole member of its monotypic genus. It is endemic to California. The species was described by Walsingham in 1881. Very little is known about its biology or ecology beyond its taxonomic placement and geographic occurrence.
Praeacedes atomosella
Praeacedes atomosella is a small moth in the family Tineidae, notable as the sole species in its genus. It has a remarkably wide geographic distribution spanning multiple continents, including Europe, Australia, Hawaii, and the Americas. The species has been frequently misidentified in various regions, complicating accurate distribution records. Its broad range suggests either natural dispersal capabilities or human-mediated transport.
Scardia anatomella
Pied Scardia
Scardia anatomella is a small moth in the family Tineidae, commonly known as the Pied Scardia. It was described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1881 from specimens collected in the northeastern United States. The species belongs to a genus whose larvae are known to feed on fungi and decaying organic matter. Records indicate it is a regional endemic with limited distribution in the northeastern United States.
Scardiella approximatella
Banded Scardiella
Scardiella approximatella is a small moth in the family Tineidae, described by Dietz in 1905. The species has been documented primarily in Maryland, USA, with 571 observations recorded on iNaturalist. It belongs to a genus of fungus moths, though specific ecological details remain limited.
Setomorpha rutella
Tropical Tobacco Moth
Setomorpha rutella is a tineid moth commonly known as the tropical tobacco moth. It has been widely distributed through commerce across warmer regions of Africa, Eurasia, Malaysia, Australia, Pacific islands, and the Americas. The species is notable as an intermediate host for the nematode parasite Tetrameres mohtedai, which infects fowl.
Tinea carnariella
Tinea carnariella is a species of clothes moth in the family Tineidae, described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1859. It belongs to a genus containing several economically significant pest species known for larval feeding on keratinous materials. The species has been recorded from Pennsylvania, USA, though detailed biological information appears limited in available literature.
Tinea dubiella
Buff Clothes Moth
Tinea dubiella is a small moth in the family Tineidae, commonly known as the Buff Clothes Moth. Native to Europe, it has established populations in New Zealand. Adults are nocturnal and active in mid-summer. The larvae feed on keratinous materials including wool, hides, furs, and feathers, and are often found in indoor environments such as barns and stables.
Tinea irrepta
A small moth species in the fungus moth family Tineidae, described by Braun in 1926. Known from scattered records across central Canada. As a member of the genus Tinea, it likely shares the family's characteristic larval habits of feeding on keratinaceous materials, though specific details for this species remain poorly documented.
Tinea mandarinella
Mandarin Tinea Moth
Tinea mandarinella is a species of fungus moth in the family Tineidae, described by Dietz in 1905. Like other members of the genus Tinea, it belongs to an ancient lineage of moths adapted to specialized feeding habits. The species has been documented in Ohio, USA, with limited published information on its biology compared to better-known relatives such as the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella).
Tinea occidentella
Western Clothes Moth
Tinea occidentella is a keratophagous moth species in the family Tineidae, native to coastal California and northern Baja California. Despite its common name "western clothes moth," it does not feed on clothing but instead consumes keratin from mammalian carnivore scat and bird of prey pellets. The species is tightly restricted to fog-influenced coastal environments where high humidity allows larvae to obtain water from atmospheric moisture absorbed by their fur and feather diet.
Tinea unidentified-az
Tinea unidentified-az is a member of the fungus moth family Tineidae, a lineage that predates many more recognizable moth species. The genus Tinea includes several species with specialized larval habits, most notably the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella), whose larvae construct portable silk tubes incorporating food debris and frass. Tineid moths as a group are characterized by their ability to exploit keratinaceous materials and other organic substrates. This particular taxon designation suggests an unidentified or undescribed species from Arizona, though specific details remain undocumented.
Tiquadra
Tiquadra is a genus of moths in the family Tineidae, established by Francis Walker in 1863. The genus comprises approximately 35 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Species have been recorded from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, indicating broad biogeographic dispersal. As tineid moths, members likely exhibit the family characteristic of larval feeding on keratinous or plant materials, though specific biological details for most Tiquadra species remain undocumented.
Trichophaga
tapestry moths, carpet moths
Trichophaga is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, subfamily Tineinae. The genus includes approximately ten described species distributed across Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia. The most well-known species is Trichophaga tapetzella, commonly called the tapestry moth or carpet moth, a pest of woolen textiles. Larval habits vary: at least one species has been documented living in pellets regurgitated by nocturnal birds of prey.
Trichophaga tapetzella
Tapestry Moth, Carpet Moth
A small moth in the family Tineidae with a widespread distribution. Larvae have been documented living in owl pellets, feeding on accumulated organic material including feathers and hair. The species is commonly known as the tapestry moth or carpet moth due to historical association with woolen textiles, though this habit is less emphasized in modern sources.
Xylesthia
Xylesthia is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, established by Clemens in 1859. The genus contains at least four described species distributed in North America. Tineidae moths are commonly known as clothes moths or fungus moths, though the specific habits of Xylesthia species remain poorly documented in published literature.
Xylesthia pruniramiella
Clemens' Bark Moth
Xylesthia pruniramiella, known as Clemens' bark moth, is a small moth in the family Tineidae. It is found in eastern and central North America. The larvae feed on woody growths on plum tree branches. Adults are active year-round with peak activity from February to December.
Xystrologa
Xystrologa is a genus of small moths in the family Tineidae, established by Meyrick in 1919. The genus contains seven described species distributed primarily in the West Indies. Xystrologa grenadella has been documented as an invasive pest of cultivated greenhouse plants in southern Florida, USA and Germany.