Saurita diffusa Schaus, 1911

Schaus, W. (1911). New species of Heterocera from Costa Rica. V. Annals and
Magazine of Natural History (8) 7: 173-193; p. 179.

Saurita diffusa, sp. n.

♂. Antennae and body black; metallic-green patches on frons, behind antennae,
on tegulae, metathorax, and lateral and sublateral spots on abdomen; shoulders
crimson; a dorsal crimson spot on base of abdomen; fore coxae metallic green.
Fore wings blackish brown, the veins black. Hind wings very broad, black; the
costal margin broadly dark greyish buff.

Expanse 29 mm.

The female similar, but rather lighter brown; the hind wings normal, fuscous.

Expanse 30 mm.

Hab. Juan Vinas, El Sitio, Tuis.

Hampson, G. F. (1914). Catalogue of the Lepidoptera Phalaenae in the British
Museum, Supplement vol. 1, Catalogue of the Amatidae and Lithosiadae
(Arctiadae) in the collection of the British Museum. London: p. 186, fig. 24.

604 a. Saurita diffusa.

Saurita diffusa, Schaus, A. M. N. H. (8) vii. p. 179 (1911).

Hind wing of male with the inner area very broad and dilated into a large
lobe.

Head, thorax, and abdomen black; shoulders with crimson spots; frons, meso-
and metathorax, pectus and fore coxae with metallic blue patches; abdomen with
crimson dorsal patch at base and subdorsal series of metallic blue spots
except towards base, the medial segments with sublateral spots. Fore wing
uniform black-brown. Hind wing fuscous brown, rather thinly scaled.

Hab. Costa Rica, Juan Vinas (Schaus), 1 ♂, 1 ♀. Exp. ♂ 28, ♀ 34 millim.

Draudt, M. (1915). Saurita. In: Seitz, A. (ed.), The Macrolepidoptera of the
World, vol. 6, The American Bombyces and Sphinges: p. 92, pl. 15 f.

S. diffusa Schaus (15 f). The ♂ is distinguished by quite uncommonly broad
forewings and particularly hindwings, in the ♀ they are narrower. Body and
wings are sooty black. Bright metallic green spots are on the forehead, sides
of the vertex, collar, metathorax and at the sides of the abdomen. Spots on
the shoulders and a large square spot on the base of the abdomen are carmine.
Forehips metallic green. Costa Rica.