Key to species of Laneella

1 Basal half of tarsal claws pale, white to pale yellowish (Fig. 10); wing with infuscation along costa or tip of wing; male with basal 2/3 of cerci slender in dorsal view, as in Figs 20, 22. Female terminalia as in Figs 284–285...................... 2

- Basal half of tarsal claw orange, brown or black (Fig. 11); area along costa with at most faint infuscation, distal portion of wing not infuscated; male with basal 2/3 of cerci much broader in dorsal view in two of three species (Figs 18, 24). Female terminalia distinctive, as in Figs 282–283, 286....................................................................... 3

2 Wing with anterior edge infuscated from junction of subcosta-costa posteriorly to R 4+5 and distally to tip; palpus brown to black; row of black postocular setae ending about 2/3 of way from top of eye to gena, with pale yellowish below that; anterior half of T4 with solid whitish band of tomentum; fore and mid femora dark reddish-brown, hind femur orange to brown; [known from Brazil and Paraguay].......................................................................... L. nigripes

- Wing with distal 1/2–1/3 of tip infuscated, also cells r 1, r 2+3 and r 4+5 and junction of vein CuA1 and crossvein dm-cu darkened; palpus orange; row of black postocular setae reaching gena; midsegment of T4 with four transverse pale spots; all femora orange; [known from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador]........................................... L. perisi

3 Thorax and abdomen dark metallic bluish-purple (Fig. 457); base of wing with cells and veins darkened; disc, rims and setae of calypters dark brown; anterior half of basicosta brown, posterior half more or less reddish-brown; [known primarily from western and central Costa Rica].......................................................... L. purpurea sp. nov.

- Thorax brown to reddish-brown, not metallic; base of wing not darkened; calypters with disc, rims and fringe of setae light to moderately brown; basicosta orange...................................................................... 4

4 Wing with distinctive brown spot around crossvein r-m (Fig. 3); abdomen shiny brown or bluish-purple; wing with section IV about 0.25 of section III or less.......................................................................... 5

- Wing without darkened area around crossvein r-m; abdomen shiny metallic blue to purple; wing with section IV about 0.46 of section III; [known from Mexico and Guatemala]........................................ L. fuscosquamata sp. nov.

5 Abdomen bluish-purple, mid and hind femora with apices dark brown; [known only from Colombia]........... L. patriciae

- Abdomen shiny brown; mid and hind femora with apices orange; [known from Costa Rica, Ecuador and Venezuela].......................................................................................... L. fusconitida sp. nov.