He gave it the name Aciptilia pentadactyla, with the specific epithet being descriptive of the appearance of the wings, and coming from the Greek meaning "five fingers"; the insect was later transferred to the genus Pterophorus.

[1] The white plume moth is a distinctive insect with a wingspan of 26 to 34 mm (1.0 to 1.3 in).

The larvae are green, with a yellow dorsal stripe and tufts of pale hairs.

[7] The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a member of the family Convolvulaceae, and in Nigeria, the larvae of the white plume moth feed on the plant.

The moth is considered a pest species along with the sweet potato butterfly (Acraea acerata), leaf folders (Brachmia and Helcystogramma spp.