This species was first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1877 using a specimen that was collected from Christchurch, in the South Island and was obtained from J. D.

[2][3] George Hudson discussed this species in his 1898 book New Zealand moths and butterflies (Macro-lepidoptera).

[4] He later discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The Butterflies and Moths of New Zealand.

[6] Butler described the species as follows: Primaries pale straw yellow; an oblique interno-basal litura, a dot at the end of the cell, and a discal transverse line terminating in an acute < -shaped angle, piceous; the discal line diffused externally; a marginal series of black dots; secondaries white, with the fringe creamy; a marginal series of black dots; thorax pale straw yellow, abdomen white : primaries below pale testaceous, whitish on internal area; markings (excepting the marginal dots, which are united by a slender brown line) only visible through the wing; secondaries white, the costal area tinted with testaceous, and sparsely irrorated with brown; a small black dot at the end of cell; a marginal series of black dots; fringe creamy : body below pale straw yellow.

[5] This moth is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being "At Risk, Relict".