Protosticta

Key to the males of the P. c u r i o s a group of the genus Protosticta

Notes. P. curiosa Fraser and P. khaosoidaoensis Asahina have not been recorded in Vietnam, but occur in Thailand and could conceivably also occur in Vietnam. The curiosa group of the genus Protosticta is highly speciose and additional new discoveries are very likely. Below key should therefore be used as a quick reference only, and specimens should further be checked against the full description with special attention given to the coloration of S9 and the prothorax in addition to the structure of appendages.

1. Paraprocts in ventral view halfway with a long and slender spine inward directed and another directed inward and posteriad at the apex..................................................................................... P. spinosa

- Paraprocts without long and slender inward-directed spines.................................................... 2

2. Paraprocts in ventral view form an almost diamond-shaped figure, their apical halves broad and not increasingly directed cau- dad (Fig. 20)......................................................................................... 3

- Paraprocts in ventral view do not form a diamond shape, their apical halves slender and increasingly directed caudad, finally running more or less parallel (Fig. 21) or distinctly pointed and directed caudad, never meeting........................ 7

3. Thorax almost completely black, but posterior half of metepisternum with larger or smaller pale spot................... 4

- Thorax with largely pale metepisternum and metepimeron..................................................... 5

4. Thorax black with white elongated spot covering posterior half of metepisternum................ P. beaumonti (dark form)

- Thorax black or at most with tiny white spot, not covering half of metepisternum..................... P. nigra spec. nov.

5. Thorax strikingly patterned black-white-black (with more or less distinct greenish metallic shine dorsally) with broad black stripe over metapleural suture, equal in width to pale stripe over metepisternum.................................... 6

- Thorax with at most a thin stripe over metapleural suture, never of equal width as pale stripe over metepisternum and brownish mesepimeron.................................................................................... P. s a t o i

6. Cerci in lateral view with a prominent dorsal tooth halfway (Fig. 22)....................................... P. caroli

- Cerci in lateral view lacking a prominent dorsal tooth at the halfway point where they curve downward (Fig. 23).. P. socculus

7. Thorax strikingly patterned black-white-black with broad black stripe over metapleural suture, similar in width to the pale stripe over the metepisternum or distinct if narrower........................................................... 8

- Thorax with at most a thin brownish stripe over metapleural suture, never similar in width to the pale stripe over the metepis- ternum, and brownish mesepimeron...................................................................... 12

8. Cerci in lateral view with a prominent dorsal tooth halfway where they curve downward (Fig. 22)...................... 9

- Cerci in lateral view without a prominent dorsal tooth at the halfway point where they curve downward (Fig. 23)......... 1 0

9. Cerci distinctly three-lobed apically and paraprocts scalpel-shaped with raised cup, black line over metapleural suture distinct but narrow.......................................................................... P. albifrons spec. nov.

- Cerci not three-lobed and paraprocts with hollowed-out tip, black line over metapleural suture wide, extending onto metepim- eron............................................................. P. khaosoidaoensis (not recorded in Vietnam)

10. Cerci smoothly curved, lateral ridge extending into apical lobe, which is decidedly longer than wide, and drooping............................................................................................ P. proboscis spec. nov.

- Cerci smoothly curved, but lateral ridge not extending into apical lobe, which is not longer than wide and not drooping... 11

11. Paraprocts with a triangular saucer-like open area, without a prominent spine on their posterior margin, placed at the anterior end of their apical half........................................................................... P. linnaei

- Paraprocts with a hollowed out apical half, often decidedly slipper-shaped, with a long spine on their posterior margin.................................................................................................. P. socculus

12. Thorax with two small pale yellow spots, one each at the posterior end of the mesepisternum and mesepimeron................................................................................................... P. pseudocuriosa

- Thorax without two small yellow spots at the posterior end of mesepisternum and mesepimeron................................................................................................ P. curiosa (not recorded in Vietnam)