[2] The species was discussed and illustrated by George Hudson in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

[5] The holotype specimen is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

[2] As a result of further study of the male genitalia, it has been argued that this species should be placed in the genus Eudonia.

[7] Based on this as well as the wing pattern, it has also be postulated that S. illota belongs to the same species as Eudonia pachyerga.

[8] It is locally common in Thomsons Bush in Invercargill as well on the Cascade Road in South Westland.