The species was first recorded by Thomas Vernon Wollaston in the 1840s, and was named by the Austrian entomologist Franz Kutschera in 1864.

[2] Charles Owen Waterhouse listed the species in volume 2 of the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine as "Psylliodes 6 sp.

",[3] and it was formally described and named by Austrian entomologist Franz Kutschera in the journal Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift in 1864.

[5] One climatic and geological study suggests "that the ancestors of Lundy cabbage and its beetles may have had the opportunity to colonise Lundy across land during a few hundred years around 10,800 years ago or may subsequently have been aided by [now gone] 'stepping stone' land to the north east" of the island.

[5] Psylliodes luridipennis adults are oblong-ovate, and the same size and build as P. hyoscyami, but not as broad,[6] measuring between 2.8 and 3.6 mm in length.

[5] Its brassy colour, smaller size, and more finely and closely punctate-striate elytra distinguish it from its ally, P. chrysocephala,[3][6] which is also found on Lundy.

[8] Psylliodes luridipennis is found throughout the highly limited range of the Lundy cabbage, including sheer sea cliffs and further inland at Millcombe House.

This plan revolves mostly around the control of Rhododendron ponticum, an alien species which threatens the Lundy cabbage.

Though the committee notes that "[h]ost plant numbers have been low, but relatively stable since 2001", it claims that P. luridipennis "has been noticeably difficult to find in recent years".