KEY TO THE SPECIES OF SPONGICOLA DE HAAN, 1844

1. Lateral margin of uropodal endopod unarmed........................................ S. parvispinus

— Lateral margin of uropodal endopod serrated............................................................. 2

2. Carapace without postrostral submedian and anterolateral spines............................... 3

— Carapace with postrostral submedian and anterolateral spines.................................... 4

3. Carapace with small tubercle on hepatic region; dorsal margin of palm of third pereopod sharply carinate, with row of setae...................................................... S. depressus n. sp.

— Carapace unarmed on hepatic region; dorsal margin of palm of third pereopod not carinate, but serrate................................................................................................... S. levigatus

4. Carapace with scattered spinules on branchial region; merus of third pereopod unarmed or armed with row of small teeth or denticles on lateral margin................. S. goyi n. sp.

— Carapace unarmed on branchial region; merus of third pereopod armed with 1 large tooth on lateral margin........................................................................................................ 5

5. First pereopod with well developed grooming apparatus; second pereopod naked, with carpus being subequal in length to merus............................................. S. andamanicus

— First pereopod with rudimentary grooming apparatus; second pereopod with numerous setae, with carpus being longer than merus................................................................. 6

6. Cornea of eye darkly pigmented; second pereopod 1.2-2.1 times longer than carapace in females, 1.5-2.2 times in males.................................................................... S. venustus

— Cornea of eye opaque; second pereopod 2.1-2.2 times longer than carapace in females, 2.4-2.6 times in males........................................................................ S. robustus n. sp.