Key to species of Rhagovelia in the robusta group from Venezuela

[Based on apterous males; modified from Polhemus (1997) and Magalh„es et al. (2016). Some specimens might have the normally large spines on hind tibia underdeveloped and will key incorrectly at couplet 1. If an illogical result is achieved, it is recommended to start the key from step 4.]

1. Hind tibia with several subequal spines, excluding apical spur (Figs. 9, 24, 27–28).................................. 2

-. Hind tibia with one or more spines larger than the others, excluding apical spur (Figs. 1, 4, 6, 23, 25–26, 29–36).......... 4

2. Sides of abdominal segment VII bearing patches of small black denticles (Fig. 18; less visible in darker specimens); paramere as in Fig. 10 ........................................................................... Rhagovelia brunae

-. Sides of abdominal segment VII without patches of small black denticles; paramere not as above...................... 3

3. General color uniformly orange-brown; hind trochanter with 2–4 small subequal spines; posterior margin of hind femur without long, sharp spine offset from the main rows of spines; paramere as in Fig. 15 ....................... Rhagovelia sinuata

-. General color dark brown to black, contrasting with yellow band on anterior 1/5 of pronotum (Fig. 27); hind trochanter with 1–9 small subequal spines and a much longer spine (Fig. 20); posterior margin of hind femur with a long, sharp spine offset dorsally from the main rows of spines (Figs. 27–28); paramere as in Fig. 16 ................................. Rhagovelia traili

4. Proepisternum lacking small black denticles............................................................... 5

-. Proepisternum bearing small black denticles (sometimes in small numbers and only visible at higher magnifications) (Fig. 3)................................................................................................... 6

5. Body length about 4.20 mm; hind trochanter with 4–5 small spines and a much longer spine (Fig. 34); paramere as in Fig. 11 ................................................................................... Rhagovelia castanea

-. Body length about 5.00 mm; hind trochanter with 2–3 small spines (Fig. 30); paramere as in Fig. 13 .. Rhagovelia guianana

6. Hind trochanter with 5 small subequal spines (Fig. 19); hind tibia with 2–3 subapical spines slightly larger than the remainder of the tibial spines (Figs. 35–36); paramere as in Fig. 16 ................................... Rhagovelia venezuelana

-. Hind trochanter with 0–2 small subequal spines (Fig. 6); hind tibia with a single subapical spine clearly longer than the remain- der of the tibial spines (Figs. 4, 6, 23, 31–32); paramere not as above............................................ 7

7. General color dark-brown (Fig. 1); body length about 4.50 mm; dorsalmost row of spines on hind femur with 3 short spines, followed by 2 long, robust spines, and 6 subequal medium spines (Figs. 4, 7); paramere as in Fig. 14 ..... Rhagovelia kmenti

-. General color black, contrasting with yellow band on anterior 1/5 of pronotum and lateral portion of abdominal laterotergites (Fig. 31); body length about 4.00 mm; dorsalmost row of spines on hind femur with 4 medium to large sharp, slender spines increasing in size, followed by 6 smaller spines decreasing in size (Fig. 31–32); paramere as in Fig. 12 ..................................................................................................... Rhagovelia equatoria