Key to the males of the Drepanosticta conica group of species

The pale/bright patches on the synthoracic pleura are termed as follows (see Fig. 7):

ES2 = mesepisternal patch; EM2 = mesepimeral mark; ES3 = metepisternal stripe; EM3 = metepimeral patch.

1 ES2 squarish, ill defined, approximately as long as EM2 which is narrow and curved (Fig. 7); pronotal fork wide-angled, with rather straight, narrow, finger-shaped prongs (Fig. 14)................................................ D. machadoi

- ES2 elongate, subtriangular or subrectangular, well defined and markedly longer than EM2 (if present) (Figs 8–13); pronotal fork not as above...................................................................................... 2

2 Only three pale/bright (yellowish to bluish) synthoracic pattern elements present, EM2 absent (Figs 8–9); pronotal fork with prongs long and backward directed and excision distinct (Figs 15, 16)........................................... 3

- Four pale/bright (yellowish to bluish) synthoracic pattern elements present, including EM2 (Figs 10–13); pronotal fork with prongs short or directed laterad and excision indistinct (Figs 17–20)............................................. 4

3 ES3 of similar width from dorsal to beyond metastigma, dorsally rather distant from EM3 (Fig. 8); prongs of pronotal fork with apex pointed (Fig. 15)..................................................................... D. elaphos

- ES3 tapered from wide dorsally to narrow at level of metastigma, dorsally very close to EM3 (Fig. 9); prongs of pronotal fork with apex rounded (Fig. 16)................................................................... D. dorcadion

4 ES3 much wider dorsally than at level of metastigma (Figs 10–11); pronotal fork with prongs almost right-angled (Fig.17), or pronotal fork wing-like with apex of prongs rounded (Fig. 18).................................................. 5

- ES3 of similar width dorsally and at level of metastigma (Figs 12–13); pronotal fork with apex pointed (Figs 19, 20)..... 6

5 ES2 narrow, comma shaped, ES3 wide in dorsal section, narrow in ventral section (Fig. 10); pronotal fork with prongs almost right-angled (Fig.17)........................................................................... D. conica

- ES2 much wider, sub-rectangular, ES3 rather evenly tapered from wide dorsally to narrow at level of metastigma (Fig. 11); pronotal fork wings-like with apex of prongs rounded (Fig. 18)..................................... D. pterophora

6 ES2 subtriangular, EM2 tiny, squarish (Fig. 12); prongs of pronotal fork directed laterad (Fig. 19)............. D. taurulus

- ES2 subrectangular, EM2 larger, elongate (Fig. 13); prongs of pronotal fork directed mediad (Fig. 20)....... D. lepyricollis