This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1914 using specimens collected at Bold Peak, Humboldt Range by C. Fenwick and George Howes in December and January.

George Hudson, using the same name, described and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.

Forewings strongly arched at base, costa faintly sinuate, apex subacute, termen sinuate, rounded beneath, oblique; dull yellowish-brown with a few scattered blackish scales, most plentiful near apex; basal line indicated by a few blackish scales at dorsum; first line much interrupted, dentate, black, most pronounced as an inwardly oblique mark on dorsum; a series of obscure interneural black dots on termen : cilia dull yellowish-brown with obscure darker line.

Hindwings, termen sinuate; very pale yellowish-brown; a prominent black discal dot and some black scales round termen : cilia pale yellowish-brown with faint darker line and tips whitish.

[7] This species has been classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon".