A key to the adult males of Sympotthastia Pagast, 1947

1. Anal point absent..................................................................................... 2

- Anal point present..................................................................................... 3

2. Megaseta absent. Apex of AL + SVo cane shaped. Setigorous MVo small hardly surpassing the mid-section of AL + SVo (Liu et al. 2016: Figs. 13 & 15).................................................. S. wuyiensis Liu, Ferrington et Wang

- Megaseta present. Apex of AL+SVo rounded. Setigorous MVo very large surpassing the 2/3 rd of AL+SVo (Figs. 5D–E, 6B–C)..................................................................................... S. golalae sp. nov.

3. Anal point short and tubercle-like, naked................................................................... 4

- Anal point long, spiniform or awl-like, if naked never short and tubercle-like...................................... 5

4. AR 3.0–3.4. Temporal setae 19–26. AL + SVo reniform (Makarchenko, 1995: Figs. 1 & 4)....................................................................................................... S. gammaformes Makarchenko

- AR 2.2–2.7. Temporal setae 40–506. AL + SVo narrow, straight (Serra-Tossio 1968: Fig. 2).............. S. zavreli Pagast

5. AL + SVo reniform (Makarchenko 1985: Fig. 228)........................................ S. repetina Makarchenko

- AL + SVo straight or sigmoid............................................................................ 6

6. AL + SVo distally straight (Doughman 1985: Fig. 13; Makarchenko 1985: Fig. 227)................. S. fulva (Johannsen) AL + SVo distally sigmoid............................................................................. 7

7. Anal point ≥ 70 µm.................................................................... S. diastena (Sublette)

- Anal point ≤ 40 µm................................................................................... 8

8. Median volsella bears spinules, apical edge rounded (Liu et al. 2016: Fig. 9; Makarchenko 1994: Figs. 10 &12; Makarchenko et al. 2022: Fig. 28)................................................................ S. takatensis (Tokunaga)

- Median volsella bare, apical edge serrated (Tuiskunen 1986: Figs. 2–3).......................... S. huldeni Tuiskunen