Ennominae

Ennominae is the largest subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae), with some 9,700 described species in 1,100 genera. Most species are fairly small, though some (such as the peppered moth) grow to be considerably large. This subfamily has a global distribution. It includes some species that are notorious defoliating pests. The subfamily was first described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.

The status of several tribes is debated. For example, the Boarmiini are sometimes massively expanded to include the Bistonini, Bupalini, Erannini, Gnophini, Melanolophini, Phaseliini and Theriini. The Nacophorini and perhaps the Campaeini might need to be merged with the Lithinini, and all three might warrant merging into the Ennomini. The group, sometimes separated as Cassymini, is tentatively included in the Abraxini here. The Alsophilinae, usually treated as a small subfamily in their own right, might simply be a specialized lineage of Boarmiini.

Selected genera
Tribe Baptini Tribe Boarmiini Tribe Bupalini Tribe Caberini Tribe Campaeini Tribe Colotoini Tribe Erannini Tribe Gnophini Tribe Gonodontini
 * Lomographa
 * †Eogeometer (Fischer, Michalski & Hausmann, 2019)
 * Bupalus
 * Cabera
 * Campaea
 * Colotois
 * Erannis
 * Charissa
 * Gnophos
 * Hirasa
 * Aethiopodes (sometimes in Odontopera)
 * Odontopera

Genera incertae sedis
Numerous genera have hitherto not been definitely assigned to a tribe. These include: • Adalbertia

• Anavitrinelia

• Bichroma

• Chelotephrina

• Chemerina

• Chesiadodes

• Ciropteryx

• Cratoptera

• Compsoptera

• Cyclomia

• Declana - Nacophorini?

• Enconista

• Entomopteryx

• Eubarnesia

• Geolyces

• Guara

• Hispophora

• Hoplosauris - Ennomini?

• Hulstina

• Hyalinetta

• Hyalostenele

• Hylemeridia

• Hypochrosis

• Leptepistomion

• Lhommeia

• Liodesina

• Lobocraspeda

• Melanochroia

• Mericisca

• Metanema

• Metarranthis

• Miantochora

• Nepterotaea

• Neritodes - Macariini?

• Onychora

• Ortaliella

• Orthocabera - Abraxini (Cassymini if distinct)?

• Orthofidonia - Boarmiini?

• Paraglaucina

• Parapheromia

• Prionomelia

• Probole

• Pseudocoremia - Boarmiini?

• Pterotaea

• Pyrinia

• Rhoptria

• Slossonia

• Sperrya

• Syncirsodes

• Synglochis

• Toulgoetia

• Tracheops

• Tritocleis (extinct)

• Xenoecista

• Xylopteryx

• Zamarada - Abraxini (Cassymini if distinct)?

Fossil
In 2019, the first geometrid caterpillar in Baltic amber was discovered by German scientists. Described under Eogeometer vadens, it measured about 5 mm, and was estimated to be 44 million years old, dating back to Eocene epoch. It was described as the earliest evidence for the subfamily of Ennominae, particularly the tribe of Boarmiini.