This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1885 using material collected in Dunedin and named Heterocrossa cryodana.

[5][6] George Hudson, in his 1928 publication The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand, discusses this species under the name Carposina cryodana.

[5] In 1988 John S. Dugdale assigned the species back to the genus Heterocrossa.

Abdomen and legs ochreous-whitish, anterior and middle pair dark fuscous except apex of joints.

Fore-wings elongate, narrow, tolerably oblong, costa moderately arched, apex round-pointed, hindmargin straight, very oblique; white, densely irrorated with pale fuscous-grey; a short black streak from base beneath costa; tufts preceded by a few black scales; sometimes a thick irregular blackish longitudinal streak in disc, extending from 1⁄4—2⁄3; cilia white, densely irrorated with pale grey.