Key to species of Malthonea

(adapted from Galileo & Martins, 1996)

1. Elytral spineas long oralmost as long as half of pronotallength (see Fig. 6 for measurement) ................................................................. 2

— Elytral spine distinctly shorter than half of pronotal length (see Fig. 6 for measurement) ................................................................. 3

2(1). Integument shining, metallic.Ecuador, Peru .................................... ................................................... M. cuprascens (Waterhouse, 1880)

— Integument mostlyreddish brown, not metallic.Colombia.............. ................................................... M. spinosa Galileo & Martins, 1999

3(1). Mesoventral process without tubercle............................................4

— Mesoventral process with tubercle ............................................... 12

4(3). Elytra with uniform yellowish pubescence ..................................... 5

— Elytra with dark pubescent maculae or interspersed with glabrous areas............................................................................................... 9

5(4). Lower eye lobes almost as long as twice length of gena. Ecuador (Fig.12)............................................. M. aurescens (Breuning, 1966)

— Lower eye lobes, at most, as long as gena ......................................6

6(5). Prothorax wider than long.Colombia............................................... ................................................... M.mimula Martins & Galileo, 1995

— Prothorax, at least, as long as wide ................................................ 7

7(6). Prothorax with small, but very distinct spine laterally. Ecuador, Bolivia (Fig. 11) ......................................... M.ruficornis Belon, 1903

— Prothorax with minute spinelaterally ............................................8

8(7). Elytral carina distinct from basal fifth.Costa Rica, Panama............... .................................................. M. piraiuba Martins & Galileo, 2009

— Elytralcarina distinct from basal fourth.Venezuela.......................... .................................................... M.itaiuba Martins & Galileo, 1999

9(4). Pronotum with two longitudinal dark bands. Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul), Argentina (Misiones).......................... .............................................................. M. tigrinata Thomson, 1864

— Pronotum without longitudinal dark bands ................................. 10

10(9). Elytra with abundant and small, circular glabrous areas. Ecuador, Colombia (Figs. 13‑15) .............................. M. guttata (Kirsch, 1889)

— Elytrawithout contrasting glabrous areas .................................... 11

11(10). Prothorax slight wider than long; elytral punctation finer and sparser (Fig. 2). Ecuador (Figs. 1‑4)............................ M.keili sp. nov.

— Prothorax slight longer than wide; elytral punctation coarser and denser (Fig. 7). Peru (Figs.5, 7‑8) M.minima Martins & Galileo, 1995

12(3). Elytralapex withspicule at outer angle.Venezuela.......................... .................................................. M. cumbica Galileo & Martins, 1996

— Elytraapex with long spine at outerangle ................................... 13

13(12). Elytra with dense yellow pubescence interspersed with moderately abundantand large dark maculae.Colombia, Venezuela ................. ................................................. M.panthera Martins & Galileo, 1995

— Elytra without dense yellow pubescence interspersed with large dark maculae................................................................................ 14

14(13). Elytra with moderately dense grayish yellow pubescence marbled withbrown.Venezuela, Ecuador ........ M.glaucina (Thomson, 1868)

— Elytrawith different pubescence pattern......................................15

15(14). In frontal view, distance between lateral margins of genae wider than distance between outer side of eyes; elytral spine as long as pedicel.Ecuador ................... M.phantasma Martins & Galileo, 1995

— In frontal view, distance between lateral margins of genae about as wide as distance between outer side eyes; elytral spine distinctly longer than pedicel ...................................................................... 16

16(15). Femoradark. Peru ...................... M.obyuna Martins & Galileo, 2005

— Femorareddish.Bolivia .............. M. albomaculata (Breuning, 1966)