1. Antennae relatively very short, about as long as vertical head, and less than 2X width; abdominal segment 5 often contrastingly dark (sometimes segment 5 only partially darkened and sometimes segment 9 darkened instead of, or in addition to, segment 5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plauditus cestus
Antennae at least 1-5 X length of head and usually more than 2X width, often over 2X length and 3X width of head. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Abdominal and/or 6-7, with dark medial marginal spot appearing at least at margin of sterna 5-6 and/or 6-7, often involving most sterna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Abdominal sterna without medial spots, but with lateral tracheation marks; legs distinctly banded. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plauditus dubius
3. Abdominal sterna without lateral tracheation marks and with one pair of submedial dots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plauditus gloveri
Abdominal sterna with lateral tracheation marks and with one pair, tow pair or no apirs of submedian dots or some combination of submedian dot variations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4. Ventral abdomen with total of one or two median marginal spots present, sometimes very diffuse and sometimes difficujlt to detect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plauditus virilis
Ventral abdomen with four or usually more median marginal spots present and generally distinctive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plauditus punctiventris
Key to Ohio Plauditus Nymph Species