Key to the Charinus species of the bengalensis group:

1. Basitiba IV divided into two pseudo-articles (Weygoldt et al. 2002: fig 12) ……………………2 – Basitiba IV divided into three pseudo-articles (Delle Cave et al. 2009: fig. 3) …………………3 – Basitiba IV divided into four pseudo-articles (Weygoldt 2006: fig. 30) …………………………4

2. Reduced lateral and median eyes, standard size legs, pedipalps held horizontally ………………………………………………………… C. socotranus Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002

– No median and lateral eyes, elongate legs, pedipalps turned upwards ………………………… ………………………………………………… C. stygochthobius Weygoldt & Van Damme, 2004

3. Female genitalia with curved, rigid finger-like appendage vestiges; genital operculum with pointed apex; eyes well developed ………………………………………… C. bengalensis (Gravely, 1911)

– Female genitalia with straight, soft finger-like appendage vestiges; genital operculum with curved apex; eyes well developed ……………………………… C. pakistanus Weygoldt, 2005

– Female genitalia with straight, soft finger-like appendage vestiges; genital operculum with straight apex; median eyes absent, vestiges of the lateral eyes ……………………… ……………………………………………… C. omanensis Delle Cave, Gardner & Weygoldt, 2009

4. Eyes well developed; female genital operculum with a steep ventral flexure at about two thirds of its length; tibia I with 23 and tarsus I with 41 articles ………… C. africanus Hansen, 1921

– Median eyes, tubercle and lateral eyes present and prominent (Fig. 4B), frontal border of carapace projected anteriorly (Fig. 4B), frontal process rhomboid (Fig. 4E), femur with five dorsal and ventral spines; tibia I with 21 and tarsus I with 37 articles …… C. ioanniticus (Kritscher, 1959)

– Median eyes extremely reduced and tubercle absent and lateral eyes extremely reduced (Fig. 4A), frontal border of carapace rounded (Fig. 4A), frontal process acute (Fig. 4C), femur with four dorsal and ventral spines; tibia I with 21 and tarsus I with 37 articles ……………… C israelensis sp. nov.