 These animals were colourless and lacked eyes, and were described as a new species in the genus "Calliope".Chilton later acquired specimens from the Porter River at Castle Hill, Canterbury, from Lake Wakatipu, Otago, from Lake Taupo on the North Island and from Otautau, Southland.George M. Thomson described a new species in the genus "Pherusa" in 1885, from specimens collected in a mountain stream in the Old Man Range of central Otago at an altitude of .