Epermeniidae or "fringe-tufted
moths" is a
family of
insects in the
lepidopteran order with about 14
genera. Previously they have been divided in two
subfamilies Epermeniinae and Ochromolopinae (e.g. Common, 1990: 321) but this is no longer maintained since the last group is probably hierarchically nested within the first (Dugdale et al., 1999). They are presently placed in their own
superfamily but have previously been placed among the
Yponomeutoidea or
Copromorphoidea with which some features are shared. Their systematic placement among the apo
ditrysian [1]group "Obtectomera" (having
pupal segments I-IV immobile) is however uncertain. They show some
morphological similarities to the "plume moths" (
Alucitoidea and
Pterophoroidea), for example the wing fringe has similar groups of
scales (Dugdale et al., 1999). There are also some similarities to
Schreckensteinioidea, for example spiny legs and at least in some species an open-network
cocoon. The genus
Thambotricha from
New Zealand may be the
sister group of all other
extant members. The most important genera are
Epermenia,
Ochromolopis and
Gnathifera. The group has been extensively revised and catalogued by Dr Reinhard Gaedike (e.g. Gaedike, 1977, 1979).