Saccharodite iridipennis ( Melichar, 1903 ), 1969

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 168

Saccharodite iridipennis ( Melichar, 1903)

Rhotana iridipennis Melichar, 1903: 62

Saccharodite iridipennis (Melichar) Fennah, 1969: 69

( Figs. 103, 104, 327)

Redescription. Forewings 2.0 times longer than wide, length: male 4.0– 4.4 mm (mean = 4.2, n = 3), female 4.3– 4.7 mm (mean = 4.6, n = 3). Colour light orange; apical parts of facial carinae, subantennal processes, rostrum, sides of pronotum, 2 lateral marks on mesonotum, sides of scutellum, and legs stramineous; fore tibiae and tarsi tinted with orange; hind femora with a faint orange mark; apical half of abdomen orange, but genitalia stramineous (the orange coloration may be faint or absent in some specimens, but not in holotype). Most forewing veins lined with narrow opaque bands; rest of forewings glassy; veins stramineous to faintly orange-brown, or faintly orange; apex of costa and apical margin orange-red; base of Sc+R with 4 dark spots. Hindwings colourless. In profile junction of vertex and face angulated; subantennal processes connected to margins of facial carinae by a low ridge; rostrum reaching hind coxae. Forewings with Sc+R fork at middle of wing; basal median cell broad, more than twice as wide as basal cell between Sc+R and M; a small triangle at base of Ms1. Male genitalia with pygofer narrow. Genital styles oval; proximal dorsal process short, slender; distal dorsal process long. Apical part of aedeagus with a dorsal, longitudinal groove, and with a pointed lobe on the dorsal right side.

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective ( iridipennis , -is, -e = with rainbow-coloured wings).

Type material. Holotype ♂ (forewing 4.0 mm, body 2.4 mm), SRI LANKA; labels: 1) Ceylon / Nietner 2) Rhotana / iridipennis/ Melichar 3) Type / 4992 ( ZMHB).

Other material examined. SRI LANKA: Maskeliya, I, II.1907, 2 ♂ 2 ♀; Hakgala, C. 1911, 1 ♀ (all BMNH) .

Distribution. Sri Lanka.

Diagnosis. Saccharodite iridipennis resembles closely Sa. laratica (Muir) from Indonesia, including the structure of the male genitalia. However, it lacks the red marks on the femora and above the eyes, as well as the faint infuscations on the forewings and the orange-red forewing veins.