Mada inepta ( Gorham, 1898 )

Szawaryn, Karol, 2015, Notes on the genus Mada Mulsant with description of a new Andean species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Epilachnini), Zootaxa 3936 (2), pp. 281-286 : 284-285

Mada inepta ( Gorham, 1898)

Epilachna inepta Gorham, 1898: 245 .— Korschefsky, 1931: 63; Blackwelder, 1945: 441. Mada inepta: Gordon 1975: 229 .— Jadwiszczak and Węgrzynowicz, 2003: 201.

Mada durantae González et Gómez, 2013: 44 .—Gómez and González 2013: 137. New synonymy Material examined. Lectotype of Mada inepta (Gorham) : Type // Syntype // Presido, Mexico, Forrer// E. inepta Gorham // B.C.A., Col., VII. Epilachna inepta Gorh. // Lectotype Epilachna inepta Gorham, Gordon 1970 (NHM). Other material: MEXICO: Playa vicente// 2322// E. inepta G.// B.C.A., Coll., VII. Epilachna ineptra Gorh.// Mexico Salle Coll. (1, NMH); EL SALVADOR: 2000m, Cerro Verde, El Salvador, V.4.1971, H. Howden (2, USNM); COLOMBIA: Antioquia, Medellín, Instituto Tecnológico [Institución Universitaria Tecnológico de Antioquia], 1650 m., 5-VIII-2012, leg. Luis Gómez, on Duranta variegata (4, MZPW); PANAMA: Panama, Chiriqui Prov. 2km W Cerro Punta, 1720m 8º51'N 82 º36W 19–23.V.77, H.&A. Howden (10, USNM).

Remarks. I received several specimens of M. durantae González et Gómez from Guillermo González and examined male and female genitalia. I compared them to the lectotype of M. inepta (Gorham) . Male genitalia of the lectotype and Colombian specimens are identical to each other and also to drawings by Gordon (1975: 311). Dorsal colour pattern is very similar, but the lectotype of M. inepta is a bit paler and lacks the black sutural striae present in specimens described by González et Gómez. However, I believe the specimens referred to as M. durantae fall within the range of variation of M. inepta . As a result M. durantae González et Gómez, 2013 is here synonymized with M. inepta ( Gorham, 1898) .

Distribution. Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama.