A single specimen was first discovered on Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, 55 km off the northern tip of New Zealand, during a scientific survey in 1945. No other specimens have ever been found in the wild.
During a 1945 scientific survey, a single example of this species was found on Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands, approximately 55 km off New Zealand's northernmost point. Since then, no wild occurrences have been documented.