If the African genera tentatively placed herein indeed belong here, the distribution of the Nacophorini is distinctly Gondwanan, with their probable origin either of Australia, South America or even Antarctica (which was not ice-covered until a few million years ago).

[1] Despite the lack of thorough study of this tribe in modern times, as traditionally delimited they are probably nearly monophyletic, requiring only a few genera to be moved in and out of this group to make it correspond to a clade;[1] as this involves the type species, the correct name for this clade might be Lithinini or maybe Campaeini, which are both liable to be eventually merged with the Nacophorini.

The aedeagus has a pointed tip in almost all members of this tribe, displaying little of the variation found in related geometer moths.

The anellus usually has extensions at the side, which extend from the edge of the juxta and can be lobes or spines, small or large, covered in bristles or nude.

The Lithinini and the Tasmanian Ennominae traditionally placed in the Archiearinae also have such symmetrical furcae, indicating the close relationship between them and the Nacophorini.

Caterpillars of the Australian and South American genera feed predominantly on Myrtaceae, including Campomanesia, Eucalyptus, Eugenia and guavas (Psidium).

Their genus Idiodes and some species formerly placed in the paraphyletic Metrocampa (at least "M." ada and "M." biplaga) appear very close to nacophorine genera – to Thalaina, and to Conosara and Corula, respectively.

The Tasmanian genera Acalyphes and Dirce and possibly the South American Archiearides, traditionally placed in the subfamily Archiearinae, seem to be close relatives of the Australian nacophorines Niceteria and Paralaea and would probably need to be moved to the present tribe.