This species was first described by Charles E. Clarke in 1926, using specimens taken at Arthur's Pass on the open mountain-side at 4,000 ft. in January.

[3] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name in his book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

Palpi with whorls of white black-dotted scales with longer tuft beneath.

Forewings elongate, costa anteriorly arched, apex moderately obtuse, termen slightly rounded, oblique; dorsum gently oblique, rounded along inner half; bronzy-brown; a grey inwardly-oblique area at rather less than 1⁄2, distinct on dorsal side but obscurely reaching costa; a black transverse line at 1⁄2, convex outwardly with tendency to form about three dots across wing, outwardly bordered and dotted with metallic silvery markings; a bronzy-brown transverse area at about 3⁄4 crossed by grey, more definite towards dorsum; a row of metallic silvery dots at 4⁄5 transversely to reach tornus; outwardly and at apex of wing blackish: cilia grey with black basal and median lines with suffusion of dark fuscous at apex and anal angle, tips whitish.

Hindwings dark fuscous, lighter on basal half: cilia grey with dark-fuscous basal and fuscous median lines, tips whitish.