Key to identification of the inland Palaemon species from the circum-Mediterranean area

1. Fifth pleuron distal end not rounded (Figures 2 E, 7B, 10A)..................................................... 2

- Fifth pleuron distal end rounded (Figure 6 B, 9B)............................................................. 7

2. Fifth pleuron distal end strongly pointed (Figure 2 E, 7B)....................................................... 3

- Fifth pleuron distal end subquadrate and not pointed (Figure 10A)............................................... 6

3. Telson with two plumose setae on posterior margin (Figures 5 A, 5B, 8C, 10C); third maxilliped exopod equal or longer than isciomerus (Figure 3 H); endopod of first pleopod of male clearly shorter than exopod (Figures 4 F, 8A); appendix masculina shorter than the endopod of the second pleopod (Figure 4 G).................................................... 4

- Telson with 2–6 plumose setae on posterior margin (Figure 13 in Azzouna, 1994); third maxilliped exopod shorter than isciomerus (Figure 7 in Azzouna, 1994); endopod of first pleopod of male slightly shorter than exopod (Figure 12 in Azzouna, 1994); appendix masculina longer than the endopod of the second pleopod (Figure 12 in Azzouna, 1994)..... P. mesogenitor

4. Telson plumose setae fail to overpass the inner spines (Figure 5 B); first maxilliped endites separated with their inner edges forming an obtuse angle (Figure 3 F); branchiostegal tooth originating just before anterior margin of carapace (Figure 2 C)... 5

- Telson plumose setae overpass the inner spines (Figure 10 C); first maxilliped endites are arranged almost in a straight line forming just a notch between them (Figure 10 F); branchiostegal tooth marginal (Figure 2 A in González-Ortegón & Cuesta, 2006)........................................................................................ P. varians

5. Telson with 40–50 pairs of marginal lanceolate setae (Figures 8 C, 8D); in males, endopod of the first pleopod deeply concave on the mesial portion of inner margin (Figure 8 A); in females, endopod of the first pleopod with concave inner margin and rounded tip (Figure 8 B).................................................................. P. colossus sp. nov.

- Telson with 0–6 pairs of marginal lanceolate setae just proximally (Figure 5 A); in males, endopod of the first pleopod slightly concave on the mesial portion of inner margin (Figure 4 F); in females, endopod of the first pleopod lanceolate (Figure 4 H)............................................................................................. P. antennarius

6. Telson with two plumose setae on posterior margin (Figure 6 c in Holthuis, 1961); endopod of first pleopod of male almost as long as exopod (Figure 8 c in Holthuis, 1961); appendix masculina longer than the endopod of the second pleopod (Figure 8 d in Holthuis, 1961).............................................................................. P. t u rc o r u m

- Telson with 4–6 plumose setae on posterior margin (Figure 10 E); endopod of first pleopod of male clearly shorter than the exopod; appendix masculina shorter than the endopod of the second pleopod................................ P. zariquieyi

7. Telson always with two plumose setae on posterior margin (Figure 9 C).............................. P. minos sp. nov.

- Telson with 4–12 plumose setae on posterior margin (Figures 6 F, 10D)........................................... 8

8. Telson with 10–12 plumose setae on posterior margin (Figure 10 D); third maxilliped exopod shorter than ischiomerus (Figure 10 G); outer margin of scaphocerite concave (Figure 10 H)......................................... P. mesopotamicus

- Telson with 4–7 plumose setae on posterior margin (Figure 6 F); third maxilliped exopod equal or longer than ischiomerus; outer margin of scaphocerite straight........................................................... P. migratorius