The type material of Mordellidae described by Achille Costa (Coleoptera Tenebrionoidea) Author Selnekovič, Dávid Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, SK- 84215, Bratislava, Slovakia (corresponding author) Author Improta, Roberta Museo Zoologico, Centro Musei delle Scienze Naturali e Fisiche dell’Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Mezzocan- none 8, IT- 80134, Naples, Italy. text Zootaxa 2020 2020-06-25 4803 1 42 50 journal article 21258 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.2 f779d08b-1402-4687-a80b-b444b12fe863 1175-5326 3992244 752BC534-E4E1-4A74-8993-8B2A4A14035C Mordella basalis Costa, 1854: 13–14 ( Figs 4 , 14–15 ) Type locality. “Regno di Napoli” [former Kingdom of Naples ] and “ Calabrie ”, Italy . Material examined. Lectotype by present designation ( Figs 4 , 14–15 ), male, MZFN : new box, labelled: “42.4749 | Mordella basalis , n. Camaldoli [original Costa’s label] | LECTOTYPE Mordella basalis Costa, 1854 D. Selnekovič des. 2019 [red label] | Variimorda (s. str.) basalis Costa, 1854 D. Selnekovič det. 2019”; pinned, geni- talia and pygidium stored in microvial . Additional specimens in the series: 1 female , MZFN : new box, labelled: “ Calabria | Variimorda (s. str.) basalis Costa, 1854 D. Selnekovič det. 2019” . Current status. Valid species; present combination: Variimorda (s. str.) basalis (Costa, 1854) . Remarks. The lectotype corresponds to the current interpretation of the species, but it also agrees with the description of Variimorda briantea (Comolli, 1837) . Unfortunately, the collection of Antonio Villa containing a single type specimen of V. briantea have been destroyed ( Bosquet 2016 ; Fabrizio Rigato, MSNM, pers. comm.). Therefore, we cannot confirm the validity of the two species here. Genitalia of the V. basalis lectotype are illustrated here for the first time ( Figs 14–15 ).