Saccharodite Kirkaldy

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 117-118

Genus Saccharodite Kirkaldy

Saccharodite Kirkaldy, 1907: 127 . Type species: Saccharodite sanguinea Kirkaldy, 1907 , by monotypy. Fennah, 1969: 68–69 (redescription).

Muiralyricen Metcalf, 1946: 114 . Type species: Muiralyricen ruber Metcalf, 1946 , by original designation, synonymised by Zelazny, 1981: 234.

Malpa Metcalf, 1954: 11 . Type species: Malpa appressa Metcalf, 1954 , by original designation, synonymised by Zelazny, 1981: 234.

Saccharodite (Genestiella) Fennah, 1969: 70 . Type species: Saccharodite (Genestiella) thia Fennah, 1969 , by original designation, synonymised by Zelazny, 1981: 234.

Diagnosis. The species of Saccharodite Kirkaldy have forewings with two long and two short narrow costal cells, like the species of Muiralevu Zelazny. The genus can be recognized by the combination of the following characters:

1. Forewings usually with Ms1b merging with Cu1, then separating and later merging again, forming a characteristic triangular cell (see Fig. 123b).

2. Forewings with a small triangular cell at the base of Ms1 (a large trapezoid cell in species of Muiralevu ).

3. Forewings with Sc+R fork located in the middle between the first and 2nd subcostal sector (very close to the first subcostal sector in Muiralevu ).

4. Forewings usually about 2 times longer than wide or broader (in Muiralevu forewings usually more elongated).

In live specimens (9 species observed) the wing surfaces form a common plane (see Figs. 83 and 84).

5. Body often with bright red or orange marks or colouration.

Considering various intermediate vein patterns (e.g. compare Fig. 294f and 294s from the same species) it becomes apparent that in the typical venation pattern of Saccharodite Ms 1 branches at the apex of the basal median cell, with Ms1b merging with Cu1, then separating again and later re-merging once more, thus forming the typical triangular cell. Near their apical sections Ms1b and Cu1 may be separating again (e.g. Figs. 294f, s and 286f). In contrast, in Muiralevu a cross-vein connects either Ms1 with Cu1 at the apex of the basal median cell like in Fig. 187f (a pattern also found in Levu and several other genera of Rhotanini ) or Ms1b with Cu1 like in Fig. 123c (the bases of Ms1b and Cu1 never merge). However, a few species of Saccharodite show different vein patterns. In the first variation neither Ms1 nor Cu1 appears to be branched (e.g. Fig. 323f). This vein pattern can be interpreted as Ms1b and Cu1 having merged completely. This interpretation seems likely, because in some species these two veins are almost totally merged, separating only for a short distance to form a very small triangular cell (e.g. Fig. 321f) and some specimens have a small triangular cell in the right wing, but not on the left one. In the second variation the vein pattern of Ms1 and Cu1 closely resembles that of Muiralevu (e.g. Figs. 292f and 293f with Fig. 295f being an intermediate form). In such cases, the assignment to the genus needs to be based on the other characters listed above. In addition to these, species of Muiralevu often have pointed lateral projections on the male pygofer or a branched tip of R on the hindwings and both characters are not found in species of Saccharodite .

Gender. Kirkaldy did not explain the origin of the name ' Saccharodite ', but indicated its gender by using the feminine form of a Latin adjective for naming the type species. Therefore, the gender should be considered to be feminine following article 30.2.3 of the Code. The name seems to be derived from saccharum (= sugar) as Kirkaldy was working on insects feeding on sugarcane.

Discussion. The identity of the type species, the type material of which has been lost, is unclear and our concept of this genus is based on the redescription by Fennah (1969), the first reviser. Apart from the variation in the forewing venation, the species of Saccharodite also show considerable variation in other characters. For example, the forewings may be unpowdered (most species), heavily powdered or lightly powdered. The head has various forms in profile: uniformly rounded (most common, e.g. Fig. 286a), angulated at the junction between vertex and frons (e.g. Fig. 316a), or produced in front of the antennae (e.g. Fig. 267a). The subantennal processes may or may not reach the margins of the facial carinae; the latter type (e.g. Fig. 267a) is less common.

Distribution. The species of the genus Saccharodite are widely distributed in South-East Asia, Australia and the eastern Pacific islands (see Fig. 120 and Table 8).

Grouping and keys. In the following, we provide keys and descriptions for the species of 9 species groups. Due to the uncertainty about the type species this grouping is necessarily tentative. After descriptions of the species we include 8 keys for identifying the species which occur in different countries and regions.