Saccharodite purpurea Zelazny, 2011

Zelazny, B. & Webb, M. D., 2011, 3071, Zootaxa 3071, pp. 1-307 : 135-136

Saccharodite purpurea Zelazny , sp. nov.

( Fig. 279)

Description. Forewings 1.9 times longer than wide, length: male about 3.1 mm, female about 2.8 mm. Colour dark red; mesonotum reddish brown; facial carinae stramineous but margins in front of eyes dark brown; the following parts also stramineous: labium, tip of clypeus, subantennal processes, antennae, lateral margins and central carinae of pronotum, tegulae, scutellum, fore and middle legs except for coxae (but tibiae may be tinted with red-grey), hind tibiae and tarsi, and genitalia; hind femora reddish-brown with bases and tips stramineous. Forewings clouded with light infuscation as follows: at clavus tip, from apex of Cu to base of Ms1, around base of Ms2, in costal cells distad of Sc+R fork, and along and distad of apical crossveins; a red mark around base of last subcostal sector and tip of Sc; in most infuscated areas veins light orange-brown, base of last subcostal sector and some parts of Sc, R and M red to orange-red, remaining veins colourless. Hindwings colourless, very faintly infuscated at the tip. In profile junction of vertex and face rounded; subantennal processes not connected to margins of facial carinae; rostrum surpassing post trochanters. Forewings with Sc+R fork slightly before middle of wing; basal median cell as wide as basal cell between Sc+R and M; no triangle at base of Ms1. Male genitalia with pygofer narrow. Genital styles oval; proximal dorsal process short and slender; distal dorsal process long. Apical part of aedeagus short, tip membranous, slightly curved ventrad.

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective (purpureus, -a, -um = purple).

Type material. Holotype ♂ (forewing 3.1 mm), SOLOMON ISLANDS; labels: 1) SOLOMON IS./ BOU- GAINVILLE (S.)/ Kokure , nr. Crown / Prince Ra. 900 m. / VI-10-1956 2) J.L. Gressitt / Collector ( BPBM) . Paratype. SOLOMON ISLANDS: Santa Ysabel, SE, Tatamba , 0–50 m, 30.VIII.1964, 1 ♀ (fw. 2.8), Malaise trap, R . Straatman ( BPBM) .

Distribution. Solomon Islands.

Diagnosis. Saccharodite purpurea can be easily recognized by its dark red colour.