Key to the species of the Pelocoris of northeastern Brazil

1. Male............................................................................................... 2

- Female............................................................................................. 7

2. Body length 14–18 mm (Figs. 3C–D)...................................................... Pelocoris magister

- Body length less than 12 mm ........................................................................... 3

3. Hemelytra and scutellum with vermiculate pattern (Figs. 2, 5, 6)................................................ 4

- Hemelytra and scutellum with irregular markings or indistinct markings.......................................... 6

4. Posterolateral corner of abdominal segment III spinose (Fig. 2), male abdominal tergum VII with posterior margin asymmetrical (Fig. 7B).......................................................................... Pelocoris bipunctulus

- Posterolateral corner of abdominal segment III at most acute (Figs. 5, 6), male abdominal tergum VII symmetrical........ 5

5. Posterolateral corner of abdominal segment IV spinose (Fig. 5), male abdominal tergum VII with posterior margin straight (Fig. 7E), lateral margins of phallosoma with two distinct grooves (Fig. 7K), body length 8.0– 8.7 mm ......... Pelocoris politus

- Posterolateral corner of abdominal segment IV at most acute (Fig. 6), male abdominal tergum VII with posterior margin concave medially (Fig. 7F), lateral margins of phallosoma straight without grooves (Fig. 7L), body length 11–14 mm .......................................................................................... Pelocoris subflavus

6. Phallosoma with lateral margins slightly converging to apex (Fig. 7G)................. Pelocoris binotulatus nigriculus

- Phallosoma widened subapically on the right margin (Fig. 7J)...................................... Pelocoris poeyi

7. Valvulae 1 profusely dentate along the dorsal and lateral margins, without distal setal tufts (Figs. 11A, C, D)............. 8

- Valvulae 1 smooth along the dorsal and lateral margins, with distal setal tufts (Figs. 11B, E, F)....................... 9

8. Subgenital plate subquadrate and concave medially (Fig. 9C), abdominal tergum VIII trapezoidal with distal portion with shallow median concavity (Fig. 10C), body length 14.5–18.0 mm................................ Pelocoris magister

- Subgenital plate trapezoidal with posterior margin shallowly concave medially (Figs. 9A, D), abdominal tergum VIII projected distally with posterior margin almost straight, body length 8.5–9.8 mm ....... Pelocoris binotulatus nigriculus and P. poeyi

9. Valvulae 2 dentate along the lateral margins (Fig. 11E), distal portion of metapleura narrowly rounded extending posteriorly (Fig. 12C), central lobe of abdominal tergum VIII narrowly rounded apically (Fig. 10E)................ Pelocoris politus

- Valvulae 2 dentate only on the distal margin (Figs. 11B, F), distal portion of metapleura broadly rounded, only slightly projected (Figs. 12A–B); central lobe of abdominal tergum VIII broadly rounded (Figs. 10B, F)............................. 10

10. Posterolateral corner of abdominal segment III spinose...................................... Pelocoris bipunctulus

- Posterolateral corner of abdominal segment III rounded....................................... Pelocoris subflavus