This species is found throughout the North and South Islands and prefers habitat where its host plants are common.

A. ptyoptera overwinters as larvae and while in that life stage can be parasitised by species of wasp in the genera Zealachertus and Diadegma.

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in November 1885 using a specimen collected in Christchurch by R. W. Fereday and named Anisoplaca ptyoptera.

[5] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

Head, thorax, and abdomen very pale whitish ochreous, shoulders narrowly dark fuscous.

[7] This species is endemic to New Zealand and in older literature is stated as being observed in the Canterbury Region, around Aoraki / Mount Cook and at Waiho Gorge.

[7] Adults of A. ptyoptera are commonly on the wing from October until May with one period of emergence peaking in January.

[7] The larvae of A. ptyoptera suffer parasitisation from native or endemic species of wasp in the genera Zealachertus and Diadegma.