Based on morphological and molecular analyses of “Cataclysme riguata Hb. var. subtilisparsata Wehrli, 1932” and C. riguata (Hübner, 1813) the former is raised to species rank. C. subtilisparsata is re-described here and compared with C. riguata. Molecular data derived from DNA barcoding are discussed. We illustrate male and female genitalia of both species and present data on life history and morphology of the early stages of C. subtilisparsata.