This species was first described by Edward Doubleday in
Ernst Dieffenbach's book
Travels in New Zealand: with contributions to the geography, geology, botany and natural history of the country and named
Margaritia flavidalis. In 1983 G. E. Munroe synonymised the genus
Mnesictena with
Udea. However, in 1988 John S. Dugdale treated
Mnesictena as a valid genus. The male
holotype specimen, collected in Auckland by A. Sinclair, is held at the
Natural History Museum, London. == Description ==