This species was described by Edward Meyrick in 1885 using material collected at "Makatoku" (likely a misspelling of Makotuku), in the Hawkes Bay, in March and named Palaeomicra chalcophanes.

[4] In 1912 Meyrick wrongly synonymised S. chalcophanes with S. incongruella which subsequently caused confusion until the error was rectified in 1979.

[5][6] The male lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

Legs pale ochreous, sharply banded with dark grey.

Forewings oblong, costa abruptly bent near base, thence gently arched, apex acute, bindmargin straight, very oblique; light shining yellowish-ochreous, with hardly traceable somewhat darker coppery-shining oblique reticulating fasciae, terminating in small dark purple-fuscous spots on margins; these spots are on costa near base, at 1⁄3, 2⁄3, 5⁄6, and apex, on inner margin near base, at 1⁄3, 2⁄3, and anal angle, and on middle of hindmargin; third costal spot often double; cilia shining whitish-oehreous, on costal spots dark fuscous.