[5] The type species, Proutista moesta is widely distributed and often very common, its distribution ranging from Tanzania in Africa, over some Indian Ocean islands (Seychelles, Maldives) and southern parts of western Asia (India, Sri Lanka) to far eastern Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan) and parts of the western Pacific (Philippines, Guam, Palau, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea).

[10][11] The species of Proutista are characterized by a combination of different features, mainly the shape and venation of the forewings, the size of the hind wings and the structure of the head and the antennae.

[7] Further east, Proutista moesta has been reported from southern parts of mainland Asia (Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China) and from various islands in western parts of the Pacific, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, Guam, Palau and New Guinea.

[21] In general, immature stages of insects from the family Derbidae are associated with decaying organic matter like rotting wood, where they feed on fungi.

[3] In 1903, Melichar stated that Assamia dentata is a synonym of Derbe (Phenice) moesta Westwood, 1851 which had been described from "India orientali".

[1] In 1906, Kirkaldy described a new genus which he named Sardis, with Phenice maculosa Krueger, 1897 from Java, Indonesia as the type species.

As part of this description he also described and illustrated an insect from Queensland, Australia which he believed to be Phenice maculosa, but stating that he had not seen Krueger's "original work".