Key to adults of the Erythrodiplax castanea group
modified from Borror (1942), Förster (2001), and Heckman (2006).
1. Transverse carina on S2 uniformly curved................................................... most Erythrodiplax
- Transverse carina on S2 nearly right-angled................................................. castanea group ... 2
2. Pterothorax with longitudinal bright cream or yellow stripe over dorsal carina extending only to end of dorsal carina, not enter- ing inter-alar space............................................................................... laselva
- Pterothorax without a longitudinal bright cream or yellow stripe over dorsal carina................................. 3
3. Thorax and abdomen black (may have gray pruinescence in old individuals); dark spot at base of HW small, not reaching cub- ito-anal crossvein...................................................................... amazonica melanica
- Thorax and abdomen red to red-brown; HW basal spot larger................................................... 4
4. Dorsum of pterothorax red to red-brown; HW length 25–27, triangle usually crossed........................ .. castanea
- Dorsum of pterothorax black, sides reddish; HW length about 20–24, triangle usually free......... .. amazonica amazonica