(Fig. 282)

Description. Forewings elongated, 2.2 times longer than wide, length in female 3.4–5.3 mm (mean = 4.2, n = 11). Colour stramineous; facial carinae, most parts of pronotum, and thoracic pleura faintly tinted with orange-red; mesonotum light brown; and metanotum orange-red; rarely (not in holotype) frons, clypeus, coxae, and femora of all legs light orange; colour of scutellum variable from orange-red (holotype) to light orange and stramineous; basal abdominal tergites orange-red (including holotype) to faintly orange or stramineous. Forewings glassy; a broad, lightly infuscated band from apex of Cu to base of Ms1; narrow bands of faint infuscation across first 2 costal cells, from base of Ms2 to Sc+R fork, and along apical crossveins; the forewing infuscation faint in some paratypes; veins stramineous to light brown; apical half of Cu and neighbouring sections of Cu1, claval vein and hind margin bright red (including holotype) to faint orange; a short section of costal margin near last subcostal sector red; 4 dark spots on base of Sc+R. Hindwings colourless, but basal parts of claval veins and neighbouring sections of Cu and M red.

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective (variabilis, -is, -e = variable).

Type material. Holotype ♀ (forewing 5.3 mm), PAPUA NEW GUINEA; labels: 1) NEW GUINEA (NE)/ Mt. Otto, 2200 m. / June 24.1955 2) J.L. Gressitt / Collector (BPBM). Paratypes. INDONESIA: PAPUA: Above Ifar, 500–750 m, 23. VI.1959, 2 ♀ (fw. 3.4), J.L. Gressitt (BPBM); Star Range, Sibil, 1260 m, 12. V.1959, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.9), at light, Neth. New Guinea Exp. (RMNH); PAPUA NEW GUINEA: NEW GUINEA (NE): Main Finistere Range, nr. Freyberg Pass (N), 2550 m, 1–21.X.1958, 4 ♀ (fw. 4.2, 2x4.4, 4.9), W.W. Brandt; Finistere Range, Saidor, Matoko, 29.VIII.–5.IX.1958, 1 ♀, Brandt; Wau, Big Wau Crk., 1300 m, XI.1965, 1 ♀ (fw. 4.3), P. Shanahan; Wau, Mt. Missim, 1300 m, 26.XII.1966 – 4.I.1967, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.8), Malaise trap, R. Straatman; Wau, 1200 m, 25. III.1966, 1 ♀ (fw. 4.0), Malaise trap, Gressitt; Aiyura, 1600 m, 9. VI.1966, 1 ♀ (fw. 3.8), light trap, Gressitt; PAPUA NEW GUINEA: PAPUA: S. Highlands, Aiyuro-Rumpi, 14.X.1958, 1 ♀, Gressitt (all BPBM).

Distribution. Island of New Guinea.

Diagnosis. Saccharodite variabilis is characterized by the orange marks on scutellum and abdomen (rarely absent) and by the orange-red veins around the clavus tip of the forewings. The coloration shows considerable variation and some specimens resemble Sa. rosea sp. nov., also from New Guinea. However, they can be recognized by the forewings having a triangle at the base of Ms1, some bands of infuscation, and orange apices on Cu and the claval vein.