Asterivora nivescens

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1926, using specimens collected at Gordon's Pyramid, Mount Arthur, and named Simaethis nivescens.[3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 publication The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.[4] In 1979 J. S. Dugdale placed this species within the genus Asterivora.[5] In 1988 Dugdale confirmed this placement.[2] The male holotype specimen, collected at Mount Arthur, is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[2]

Philpott described this species as follows:

♂ ♀. 16–17 mm. Head and palpi brown densely sprinkled with white; second segment of palpi with strong but longitudinally-narrow scale-tuft. Antennae blackish annulated with white, ciliations in male 1 1⁄2. Thorax bronzy-brown, tegulae spotted with white. Abdomen bronzy-brown, segmental divisions white. Legs brown, densely sprinkled with white. Forewings moderate, costa slightly arched, apex rounded, termen slightly rounded, little oblique; bronzy-brown; basal 2⁄5 sprinkled with white scales which tend to form one or two bands; a white spot on costa at 3⁄5 giving rise to a white line which follows an outwardly-oblique course to near middle of wing, thence bending sharply inwardly to above dorsum to which it recurves, in male this line is absorbed in subterminal band of white scales; preceding this line is a broad band almost free of white scales except those forming the discal spot; a broad subterminal band of white scales, touching second line at middle: fringes white, with broad blackish basal band and a similar but paler apical band. Hindwings tuscous. a white fascia round tornus, thence dividing into two and extending to middle of termen, in male this fascia is represented by only a few scales: fringes as in forewings.[3]

This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Nelson.[1][3]

This species inhabits native herbage on mountainsides.[2]

Adults of this species are on the wing in January.[4]