Physetica longstaffi

Howes originally described the species as follows:

Expanse. 28 to 30 lines. Antennae ferruginous-grey, filiform. Legs, palpi, head, and thorax grey irrorated with ferruginous. A dark mark across front of thoracic crest. Crests strong. Abdomen greyish-ochreous, lighter in colour towards anal tuft, which is light ochreous-grey. Forewings grey, markings ferruginous. Reniform and orbicular grey out-lined with ferruginous. Base of wing light grey, followed by a dark jagged transverse line. A double jagged transverse line at 1⁄4 across wing. A suffused patch around reniform, continuing as a well-defined jagged line with a faint line on each side to dorsum. A rather indistinct suffused line near termen. Cilia grey. Hindwings uniform dark-grey. Cilia silvery-grey with a dark-grey line at base.The male adult of this species has a wingspan of between 30 and 36 mm and the female has a wingspan of between 33 and 37 mm. P. longstaffi might possibly be confused with P. sequens or P. phricias. However unlike both P. sequens and P. phricias, P. longstaffi has a large oval mark near the centre of the forewing. There are other distinguishing features such as the differences in the colouration of the forewings of P. longstaffi as well as differences in the third labial palp segment of the male and differences in the shape of the male genitalia.

This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North and South Islands.

This species is on the wing from February to May. There is also a record from the North Cape in December. This species is attracted to light.