[3] It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed the Franz Josef Glacier in subalpine habitat on the West Coast.

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1930 using specimens collected by Charles Edwin Clarke at Defiance Hut (now at the Franz Josef Visitor Centre) at Cape Defiance, above the Franz Josef Glacier and named Carposina literata.

[4][5] In 1939 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

Forewings with costa strongly arched, apex rather sharp, termen almost straight, oblique; creamy white; markings blackish fuscous margined with rather bright ochreous and sometimes mixed with white; an inwardly oblique series of spots (3) close to base; a dot below costa before 1/4 and one beneath it well below fold; a third in disc beyond forms a conspicuous triangle.

However the two species can be distinguished as Hudson states that with H. exochana "the termen is slightly sinuate below apex and, in most specimens, a shading of brownish ochreous is visible between the veins".