1. Parafrontal areas absent; antennae no more than 2 times longer than wide; mesonotal bars with posterior portion brown, anterior portion yellow; case made primerily of silk, occasionally adorned with sand or pieces of freshwater sponge; sponge feeders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Parafrontal areas present; antennae ranges 2-8 times longer than wide; mesonotal bars unicolored; case primarily of sand, pebbles or plant material; usually detritus/algae feeders. 3
2. Pronotum lacking contrasting spots; head with spots pale yellow on a yellow background; length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceraclea transversa
Pronotum with some contrasting spots; head with spots brown on a yellow background; length of last instar larva, 11-12 mm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceraclea resurgens
3. Two pairs of long setae on 9th abdominal tergite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
One pair of setae on 9th abdominal tergite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4. Dorsolateral sclerite (dls) on anal leg long and rodlike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Dorsolateral sclerite not rodlike, or absent entirely. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
5. Width of frontoclypeus along anterior margin equal to the width at the posterior origin of the parafrontal sutures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Width of frontoclypeus along anterior margin much wider than the width at the posterior origin of the parafrontal sutures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6. Mesonotal bars gently curved; head lacking contrasting spots posteriorly. Ceraclea cancellata
Mesonotal bars sharply angled; head with contrasting spots posteriorly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
7. Head with only 1 lateral spot; frontoclypeus usually lacking spots; gula deeply intented; larvae found in association with freshwater sponge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceraclea spongillovorax
Head with 3 lateral spots; ronotclypeus with contrasting spots; gula only slightly indented; larvae not found in freshwater sponge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceraclea maculata
8. Pronotum with 50-60 setae along anterior margin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ceraclea submaculata
Pronotum with less than 40 setae along anterior margin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceraclea punctata
9. Frontoclypeus with margins irregular in outline (lyre-shaped) and lacking well-demarked spots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceraclea alagma
Frontoclypeus with margins straight in outline possessing well-demarcated spots that contrast with background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ceraclea tarsipunctata
10. Case with lateral expansions; pronotum with a single spot surrounded by a light corona laterally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Case cornucopia-shaped, without lateral expansions; pronotum usually lacking a lateral spot. 12
11. Mesonotal bars round and smooth in outline; vertex of head with dark spots. . Ceraclea flava
Mesonotal bars jagged in outline; head lacking dark spots at vertex of head. Ceraclea ancylus
12. Head yellow; pronotum without contrasting lateral areas; pronotume without contrasting lateral areas; gula with crenulated outline; no long setae on 9th abdominal segment. Ceraclea diluta
Key to Species of Ceraclea Nymphs