Saccharodite laratica ( Muir, 1913 ), 1981

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 168-169

Saccharodite laratica ( Muir, 1913)

Levu laratica Muir, 1913: 85

Saccharodite laratica (Muir) Zelazny, 1981: 236

( Fig. 328)

Redescription. Forewings elongated, 2.3 times longer than wide, length: male 3.0– 3.9 mm (mean = 3.5, n = 16), female 3.9–4.1 mm. Colour stramineous to light brown; an elongated red mark above eyes; some specimens (not lectotype) with faint orange marks on scutellum and frons; fore femora with 2 broad, longitudinal, red stripes; fore tibiae and tarsi tinted with red; middle femora with 2 narrow, longitudinal red stripes; hind femora, metapleura, and sides of abdomen with some red spots. Forewings glassy; very faintly infuscated from clavus tip to base of Ms1, around base of Ms2, and along apical crossveins; veins stramineous, but pale orange, orange or (like in lectotype) orange-red in the infuscated areas; the following additional veins red (lectotype) or orange: a short section of M near base of Ms2, a section of Sc near the Sc+R fork, the last subcostal sector, and 3 sections of the costa; base of Sc+R with 4 brown spots. Hindwings colourless, but a central section of costa light reddish brown. In profile junction of vertex and face angulated; subantennal processes connected to margins of facial carinae by a ridge; rostrum slightly surpassing hind trochanters. 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 triangle at base of Ms1; Ms2 strongly curved at base. Male genitalia with pygofer narrow. Genital styles oval; proximal dorsal process short and slender; distal dorsal process long. Apical part of aedeagus with a dorsal, longitudinal groove, and with a short lobe on the right side, ending in a small, pointed tip.

Etymology. We consider the species name to be a latinized adjective (laraticus, -a, -um = of Larat Island).

Type material. Lectotype ♂ (here designated) (forewing 3.0 mm, body 1.8 mm), INDONESIA: LARAT ISL.; labels: 1) Larat/ F. Muir/ Debr. 1907 2) TYPE OF / L. laratica 3) Levu / 651/ laratica/ Kirk. + M. ( BPBM # 5206).

Note. Muir described this species from an unspecified number of specimens from Larat I., Indonesia. This specimen here designated as lectotype agrees with Muir's measurements and locality data, but not very well with his very short description. It also bears a type label. BPBM contains one other specimen which seems to be also part of the type series. However, it does not contain a date and is a female .

Other material examined. INDONESIA: LARAT ISL., 1 ♀, F. Muir; PAPUA: Nabire , 5–50m, 25.VIII.– 2.IX.1962, 1 ♂, Malaise trap, J. Sedlacek; Bodem, 11km SE of Oerberfaren, Sarmi District , 100m, 7–17. VII .1959, 1 ♂, M. V . light trap, T . C. Maa (all BPBM); Star Range, Sibil , 1260 m, 1–31. V .1959, 6,12,16,21. VI .1959 , 6 ♂ 1 ♀, Neth. New Guinea Exp.; Star Range, Bivak 39A, 1500m, 28. VI .1959, 1 ♀, Neth. New Guinea Exp. (all RMNH) : PAPUA NEW GUINEA: SE: Kokoda , 400 m, 15–20.XI.1965, 3 ♂, light trap, J. & M. Sedlacek; Western District, Oriomo R ., 3m, 4.VIII.1964, 1 ♂, light trap, H. Clissold; NE: Ambunti , Sepik R ., 150 m, 4. V .1963, 1 ♂, light trap, R . Straatman; Taenga, Upper Jimmi V ., 1200 m, 14. VII .1955, 1 ♂, J.L. Gressitt; Bubia, Markham V ., 50 m, 19.IX.1955, 1 ♂, Gressitt; Brown River , 22. V .1956 , 1 unknown sex, light trap, E.J. Ford Jr. (all BPBM); Haveri, VIII.1893, 1 ♂, Coll. Loria ( MMBC) .

Distribution. Larat Isl. ( Indonesia), Island of New Guinea.

Diagnosis. Saccharodite laratica resembles Sa. iridipennis (Melichar) from Sri Lanka. It can be recognized by the red marks on the femora and above the eyes, as well as by the faint infuscation on the forewings and the orange or red vein sections.