Three new species of Merma Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Epilachnini) from Madagascar Author Szawaryn, Karol 0000-0002-9329-4268 k. szawaryn @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 9329 - 4268 k.szawaryn@gmail.com Author Czerwiński, Tomasz 0000-0002-0598-7858 tczerwinski @ miiz. waw. pl; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 0598 - 7858 tczerwinski@miiz.waw.pl text Zootaxa 2023 2023-06-20 5306 2 266 276 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5306.2.6 journal article 56366 10.11646/zootaxa.5306.2.6 05c564eb-3640-4ffb-903d-06d5219856e4 1175-5326 8058811 7D456B11-BBF6-4816-AB81-5D02ACE02DAD Genus Merma Weise, 1898 Merma Weise, 1898: 123 . Type species: Merma limbata Weise, 1898 (by subsequent designation of Korschefsky 1931 ). Key to Malagasy species of Merma Weise : 1. Body smaller, below 4.5 mm in length....................................... .............................. 2 -. Body larger, more than 5.0 mm in length.................................... ............................... 3 2. Body larger, about 4.5 mm in length, rounded in outline; elytral margin explanate and well visible from above; elytral epipleuron broad, more than three times as broad as metanepisternum; median part of metaventrite covered with just a few large punctures; abdominal postcoxal lines almost parallel to posterior margin of ventrite 1.................. Merma hovana ( Sicard, 1908 ) -. Body smaller, about 3.3 mm in length, more elongate in outline, elytral margin not explanate and invisible from above; elytral epipleuron narrow, less than two times as broad as metanepisternum; median part of metaventrite covered with numerous large punctures; abdominal postcoxal lines rounded, not parallel to posterior margin of ventrite 1.................................................................................................. Merma quadriguttata ( Sicard, 1909 ) 3. Ventrite 5 in male apically rounded, apical part of penis with sides subparallel, without lateral projection, with two rows of denticles........................................................................... Merma fisheri sp. nov. -. Ventrite 5 in male apically emarginate, penis pointed apically, with additional lateral projection, with single row of denticles. ........................................................ ........................................... 4 4. Outer margin of penis guide in lateral view distinctly sinusoidal in middle, tip of penis with narrow lateral thorn-like projection.............................................................................. .. Merma ankarana sp. nov. -. Outer margin of penis guide in lateral view weakly sinusoidal, tip of penis with broad, subtriangular lateral projection...................................................................................... Merma antakotako sp. nov.