The family Uraniidae contains four subfamilies, 90 genera, and roughly 700 species distributed throughout the tropics. Some of the tropical species are known for their bright, butterfly-like colors and are called sunset moths, of which many toxic and the bright colors are warnings to predators.
The family contains both diurnal and nocturnal species. The day-flying species are usually more strikingly colored and vibrant than the nocturnal ones. Many diurnal species also have iridescent scales and multiple tails, which often lead them to be mistaken for butterflies. In sharp contrast, the nocturnal species are generally small, pale-colored.