This species was described by Edward Meyrick, collected at Lake Wakatipu at 2200 ft in December, and named Simaethis marmarea.

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

Forewings rather elongate, posteriorly somewhat dilated, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, hindmargin obliquely rounded; dark bronzy-fuscous; markings formed by a fine close white irroration; a small ill-defined basal patch; two cloudy dentate angulated almost confluent transverse lines about ⅓; an irregularly angulated transverse line beyond middle, its discal portion silvery-metallic and forming a small spot above middle, separated from preceding line by a black fascia; a straight line from ¾ of costa to anal angle; a silvery-metallic submarginal streak along upper half of hindmargin: cilia whitish, with thick black basal and grey median lines.

[3]This species is very similar in appearance to A. microlitha but can be distinguished as A. marmarea has more pointed hindwings and a white long, thin line reaching to the tornus.

[1][6] Along with the type locality of Lake Wakatipu this species has been collected in the Tasman region as well as at Coronet Peak and the Church Hill Wetland.