This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the southern half of the South Island.

This species was described by George Hudson in 1928 using material collected in February 1906 in the Old Man Range / Kopuwai in Central Otago at an elevation of about 1200 metres by J. H.

[4] The holotype specimen is held at the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

The head and body are blackish sprinkled with whitish scales; the palpi black with the base of the apical joint white.

[1][9] Larvae of this moth have been found to feed on species in the Kelleria and Drapetes genera.