This species was first described by John Stewart Dugdale in 1971.[2] The female holotype specimen was collected by Guillermo Kuschel in January at Beeman Camp on Campbell Island and is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[3]
Description
Dugdale described the larvae of this species as follows:
D setae on 1st abdominal segment on two pinacula D1 (anterior, D1, D2 posterior); SV group tri-setose above each proleg; metathoracic posterior sternal setae closer together than anterior setae.[2]
Dugdale described the adult female of this species as follows:
Head with slender yellow scales; forewings with patches of yellowish scales on a purplish brown, slightly iridescent ground, hindwings dark grey, abdomen dark grey, scent gland scales long, hair-like, crimped at mid-length, pale yellow. Length (vertex to wing tip): 7.4 mm.[2]
Distribution
Beeman Cove, Campbell Island, type locality for M. campbellica.
This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found only on Campbell Island.[1][2][4]
Behaviour
The adults are on the wing in December and January.[2]
Habitat
The adults of this species inhabit sheltered clearings amongst scrub where as the larvae inhabit leaf litter.[2]
