This species is endemic to New Zealand and has only been collected in a karaka grove at Sinclair Head in Wellington in November .

It was described by Edward Meyrick in 1927 from a specimen collected by George Hudson in November, in a karaka grove, near Sinclair Head, Wellington.

[2][3] Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.

Forewings grey irregularly irrorated blackish scales finely edged whitish; a white mark on middle of costal edge; upturned apical area with median portion dark grey mixed blackish and speckled white, above and below this triangular light orange-ochreous spots, line of flexure with whitish reflections: cilia grey-whitish with blackish subbasal and postmedian shades, above apex a blackish external hook.

[4] This species has been classified as having the "Data Deficient" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.