Soita psiloides Walker, 1865

(Figs.143–150)

Soita psiloides Walker, 1865: 136; Hardy, 1959: 197; Hardy, 1983: 204; Hardy and Foote, 1989: 522; Permkam and Hancock, 1995: 1140 –1142. Type-locality: Indonesia. Salawati I., Irian Jaya. (HT ♂ BMNH).

Diagnosis. Head (Figs. 148–149) entirely yellow to brown, usually lacking dark spots on occiput, frons or face, but 3 of Papua New Guinea specimens with a vague medial dark mark on frons; 1 pair of strong and strap like orbital setae and 2–3 pairs of small frontal setae. Thorax (Fig. 145) entirely yellow to yellow-brown; postpronotal, postalar, dorsocentral, anterior supra-alar, and presutural setae dark brown to black; notopleural, anepisternal, anepimeral and katepisternal setae yellow to yellow-brown. Mid tibia with 3 ventral setae at apex, 2 moderately long, 1 short. Scutellum with 1 pair of setae. Anepisternum and katepisternum without row of short black spines. Wing (Fig. 144) almost hyaline except pterostigma brownish yellow apically and slight infuscation bordering apices of veins R2+3, R4+5 and Cu l. Abdomen (Fig. 147) entirely fulvous. Female with oviscape short, scarcely longer than wide. Aculeus short and thick, with 4 sharp toothlike points at apex, and minute serrations on apical margins (Fig. 150). Three elongate spermathecae. Male genitalia with surstyli short and thick, covered with fine, pale hairs (Fig. 146).

Distribution: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia (northeast Queensland).

Specimens examined: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Silkwood, nr Innisfail, 30 December 1958, D.K. McAlpine, 1♂ (AMS, No.264547, dissected). PAPUA NEW GUINEA: SE Mamai Pltn., E of port Glasgow, 150m, 10 February 1965, R. Straatman, Light Trap, 1♀ 1 ♂ (BPBM, both dissected); Central P., Lomaricr, 20 September 1981, J.W. Ismay, rainforest 1♀ (BPBM, dissected); East Sepik Province: Amboin patrol Post, Karawari Lodge, February 1983, A. C. Messer, 1 ♂ (USNM).