This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1905, using a male specimen he collected at Arthur's Pass at 3000 ft in January, and named Hypercallia aletis.[3] In 1915 Meyrick placed this species within the genus Philobota.[4]George Hudson discussed this species under the name Philobota aletis in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[5] In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Tingena.[2] The male holotype is held in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[2]
Description
This species was described by Meyrick as follows:
♂. 13 mm. Head and thorax light fuscous sprinkled with whitish-ochreous. Palpi whitish-ochreous, a subapical ring of second joint, and terminal joint except apex somewhat infuscated. Antennae greyish-ochreous, ciliations 3. Abdomen fuscous. Fore-wings elongate, moderate, costa gently arched, apex round-pointed, termen somewhat rounded, rather strongly oblique; greyish-ochreous irrorated with fuscous; some dark fuscous scales towards base of costa; first discal and plical stigmata very obscure, darker, plical rather obliquely beyond first discal; second discal distinct, dark fuscous, with some whitish scales beneath it : cilia greyish-ochreous mixed with fuscous. Hind-wings rather dark fuscous, lighter anteriorly; cilia light fuscous, with darker subbasal shade, tips whitish.[3]
This species was regarded by both Meyrick and Hudson as being obscure.[3][5]
