Key to the males of Exaerete Hoffmannsegg (Modified from Moure (1964) and Kimsey (1979))

1 Hypoepimeron with tubercle; labial palpi two­segmented ........................................ 2

­ Hypoepimeron without tubercle; labial palpi four­segmented ................................. 4

2(1) Frons without median tubercle (Fig. 3 a); mesoscutellum with posterior margin convex (Fig. 8 a) with a median longitudinal carina between two small sublateral tubercles (Fig. 8 b); clypeus slightly rounded (Fig. 3 b); hind femur not basally depressed, lower inner margin unarmed (Fig. 13 b); hind tibial slit reaching apex of tibia (Fig. 13 a); S7 medially elevated and truncate, covered with setae (Fig. 18 a); S8 evenly rounded apically (Fig. 18 b); gonostylus subtriangular, ventral half clothed with dense setae, dorsal half with scattered setae; gonocoxal lobe obtusely angulate (Fig. 18 c); volsella ovoid, reduced (Mexico to northern Argentina).................................... ............................................................................. E. smaragdina (Guérin­Méneville)

­ Frons with median tubercle (Fig. 4 a); mesoscutellum with posterior margin convex (Fig. 11 a) or straight; clypeus irregularly rounded (Fig. 4 b), with or without prominence in profile (Fig. 6 a); hind femur basally depressed, armed with emarginate crest, a large tooth (Fig. 14 b) or elongate denticles (Fig. 16 b); hind tibial slit very small (Fig. 15 a) or reaching apex (Fig. 16 a); S7 trilobed (Fig. 19 a), bilobed (Fig. 21 a) or without lobes (Fig. 20 a); S8 lobed medially, with apicomedial point (Fig. 20 b) or apically truncate (Fig. 21 b); gonostylus not as above, either differently

shaped (Fig. 20 c) or entirely clothed with dense setae (Fig. 19 c); gonocoxal lobe not obtusely elongate (Fig. 21 c); volsella ovoid, reduced (Fig. 19 c) or well­developed (Fig. 20 c) ................................................................................................................... 3 3(2) Mesoscutellum with two sublateral tubercles (Fig. 9 a), posterior margin convex (Fig. 9 b); clypeus irregularly rounded in profile (Fig. 4 b); hind femur basally depressed, with large medial tooth on inner surface (Fig. 14 b); S7 strongly trilobed with setae apically, median lobe strong (Fig. 19 a); S8 apex slightly lobed medially (Fig. 19 b); gonocoxal lobe sharply pointed (Fig. 19 c) (Mexico to Brazil) ................. .................................................................................... E. frontalis (Guérin­Méneville)

­ Mesoscutellum straight with a median longitudinal tubercle between two small sublateral tubercles; clypeus prominent in profile; hind femur slightly depressed basally; S7 trilobed, median lobe weak relative to lateral ones; S8 lobed medially; gonocoxal lobe obtusely angulate (Brazil)............ E. lepeletieri Oliveira & Nemésio

4(1) Frons with median tubercle (Fig. 5 a); mesoscutellum with posterior margin concave (Fig. 10 a) or linear .................................................................................................... 5

­ Frons without median tubercle (Fig. 6 a); mesoscutellum with posterior margin convex (Fig. 11 b) or linear (Fig. 12 a) ............................................................................. 6

5(4) Frons with strong median tubercle (Fig. 5 a); mesoscutellum with concave posterior margin (Fig. 10 a) and without punctures anteriorly; mesoscutellum with sublateral tubercles shining, conspicuous (Fig. 10 b); hind femur with lower external border armed with a strong aculeate process followed by one or two small tubercles (Fig. 15 b); S7 without lobes, apical margin with medial and sub lateral patches of setae and posterior row of setae (Fig. 20 a); S8 with obtuse apicomedial angle (Fig. 20 b); gonostylus parallel, clubbed apically; gonocoxal lobe evenly rounded (Fig. 20 c) (Costa Rica to northern Argentina).......................................... E. dentata (Linnaeus)

­ Frons with weak median tubercle; mesoscutellum with posterior margin linear; mesoscutellum with sub lateral tubercles densely punctured; hind femur lower external margin armed with a longitudinally emarginate crest; S7 without lobes, medially emarginated; S8 with strong apicomedial lobe; gonostylus laterally elongate and apically clubbed; gonocoxal lobe acutely angulate (Mexico) ................ E. azteca Moure

6(4) Mesoscutellum with posterior margin convex (Fig. 11 a); clypeus lacking vertical ridges (Fig. 6 b); hind femur with multiple elongate denticles (Fig. 16 b); S7 strongly bilobed, deeply incised medially, lobes truncate with long setae apically and transverse row of setae centrally (Fig. 21 a); S8 apically truncate or slightly rounded (Fig. 21 b); gonostylus with dense setae along ventral margin; gonocoxal lobe irregularly rounded (Fig. 21 c); volsella ovoid, reduced (Panama to Brazil) ................................ ............................................................................................... E. trochanterica (Friese)

­ Mesoscutellum with posterior margin linear (Fig. 12 a); clypeus with carina forming a prominence in profile (Fig. 7 b); hind femur with large tooth in basal half of inner margin (Fig. 17 b); S7 bilobed, irregularly rounded and slightly depressed centrally,