This species was first described by Louis Beethoven Prout in 1927 and named Xanthorhoe philpotti.

[2] The male lectotype, collected at Lake Wakatipu, is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

[2] Prout stated that one of the distinguishing features between A. beata and A. philpotti is the black discal spot on the forewings of A. beata which is absent or very faintly present on the forewings of A.

[1][3] This species has been collected at the type locality of Lake Wakatipu as well as in Dunedin, Wairaurahiri River in Southland, and Wainuiomata.

[10] The range of this species has undergone contraction and it is now regarded as locally extinct in Invercargill.