Chelophoba is a small and enigmatic genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of the twirler moth family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 (Gelechiidae). Among these, it is one of many lineages whose precise relationships are still obscure, though they are presumed to belong to the subfamily Pexicopiinae.

In their forewings, the second vein is separate from the third like in some other twirler moths. It is by the overall venation pattern of the wing that Chelophoba moths can be recognized.

The species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 placed here at present are:

• Chelophoba aganactes Meyrick in Caradja & Meyrick, 1935
• Chelophoba melaina J.F.G.Clarke, 1986

They are widely allopatric, with C. aganactes occurring in China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 and C. melaina only known from Fatu Hiva

Fatu Hiva

Fatu Hiva is the southernmost of the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean...

 in the Marquesas Islands

Marquesas Islands

The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...

 of Polynesia

Polynesia

Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...

. The latter species might actually be more closely related to some twirler moths usually placed in Hypatima

Hypatima

Hypatima is a genus of the twirler moth family . Among these, it belongs to a distinct lineage, which is variously treated as tribe Chelariini in subfamilies Dichomeridinae , Gelechiinae, or even Pexicopiinae, and historically was considered a subfamily in its own right, Chelariinae...

which does not belong to the Pexicopiinae. It is unknown at present whether Chelophoba is monotypic

Monotypic

In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...

 and "C." melaina belongs in Hypatima, or whether the other species ought to be moved into Chelophoba. Alternatively, C. melaina might belong in the Pexicopiinae genus Ethmiopsis

Ethmiopsis

Ethmiopsis is a genus of the twirler moth family . Among these, it is assigned to subfamily Pexicopiinae.At least some of these moths are characterized by a short scape and a triangular tuft of short hairs on the tip of the second labial palp segment...

, as it resembles E. epichthonia in some anatomical details; perhaps Chelophoba might be synonymized with Ethmiopsis outright.