Sabatinca caustica

Meyrick described the adults of the species as follows:

♂. 9-10 mm. Head and thorax bronzy-orange-ochreous thorax sometimes marked with whitish. Antennae ochreous, towards apex blackish. Abdomen dark purple-grey. Forewings ovate-lanceolate, costa moderately arched, apex pointed, termen extremely obliquely rounded; violet-coppery-ochreous, in one specimen largely suffused with whitish; in one specimen a spot of dark purple-fuscous suffusion on dorsum towards base, one in disc beyond middle, and some irregular marking towards termen, and in the whitish-suffused specimen the dark purple-fuscous suffusion forms a blotch along anterior portion of costa connected with a large oblique blotch in middle of disc, a streak along dorsum from base to 2⁄3, a subterminal fascia enclosing a white spot on costa and a mark along termen in middle, but in the other two specimens there are no markings : cilia golden-ochreous. Hindwings deep purple; cilia pale golden-ochreous. The adults of this species are variable in appearance with some specimens being mainly white on their forewings while others have forewings that are a more mottled purple-brown colour.

This species is endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in Southland, including in the Takitimu Mountains, and at Stewart Island / Rakiura.

This species is on the wing from the start of October until the middle of December.