Pasiphila cotinaea

Meyrick described this species as follows: ♂. 23 mm. Palpi 2+1⁄2. Antennal ciliations 3+1⁄2. Abdomen with dark-fuscous subbasal band. Forewings triangular, termen bowed, oblique, sinuate just above tornus; light pinkish-fuscous, striated with fuscous, towards costa and termen suffused with pale dull green, veins pale-greenish marked with dark fuscous; median band hardly defined; a narrow dark-fuscous spot preceding subterminal stria above tornus: cilia fuscous, base spotted with dark fuscous. Hindwings moderate, termen rather unevenly rounded, sinuate above tornus; light grey, towards dorsum tinged with pale-greenish and striated with dark-fuscous irroration; a dark-grey roundish discal dot: cilia whitish-grey.The larvae of this species are green, red and white lined.

P. cotinaea is endemic to New Zealand. It is known from the middle of the North Island down as far south as Southland and is abundant in the eastern part of the South Island. However they have not been found in eastern Otago. This species is regarded as being rare.

Adults are on wing from November to April and are most common in April. There may be two generations per year. Hudson mentions that he collected a specimen that was attracted to light.