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This group is characterised in the adult by a well developed, elongate
or spatulate, often densely setose uncus in the male genitalia. The gnathus is
well developed, apically acute. Part of the second sternite between the male
tympanic bullae is setose or rugose, and the hind-tibia bears a hair pencil. The
male antennae of most genera are robustly ciliate rather than bipectinate.
Female genitalia in the tribe are variable, but usually have the bursa
generally scobinate, sometimes with a signum formed of a denser, more
sclerotised area of scobination.
No diagnostic features for the larvae, apart from very slender build,
have been located in the literature. Prout (1913, Gross-Schmett. Erde 4:
36) described the cremaster of the type genus as having two strong spines at the
extremity, small knots at their base, and two pairs of hooks anterior to them.
Nakamura (1994) noted a similar condition in Dithecodes Warren and Organopoda
Hampson: a strong, bifurcate terminal pair, with two pairs of smaller hooks
on a triangular cremaster. The F-seta of the head is bristly in these genera.
No strong host-plant specialisms have been noted, but most records are
of arboreal feeding, though Prout (loc. cit.) referred to 'low
plants'.
The type genus, Rhodostrophia Hübner, is primarily Palaearctic
but extends into the Himalayan ranges and those of western China. Several of the
genera discussed here were described by Prout (1932a).
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