A Brief Key (López-Fernández et al)
• geayi: wide bar only, no spot, no black on dorsal fin lappets
• cuyunii: thin bar, no spot, black on dorsal fin lappets
• oelemariensis: no bar, spot only below lateral line, black dorsal fin lappets
• owroewefi: wide bar, spot on and below lateral line, black dorsal fin lappets
• sphenozona: bar, spot above lateral line, bar, no black on dorsal fin lappets
• stergiosi: thin bar, spot below lateral line, black on dorsal fin lappets
Key to the species of Guianacara (Jessica H. ArbourI; Hernán López-Fernández)
1a. Two supraneurals; produced lappets on tips of anterior dorsal-fin spines; dark midlateral bar present, or a faint midlateral bar with a darker midlateral spot ............................................................................(subgenus Guianacara) 2
1b. One supraneural; no produced lappets on tips of anterior dorsal-fin spines; midlateral bar absent, midlateral spot present ............................................... ............................................Guianacara oelemariensis (subgenus Oelemaria)
2a. Midlateral bar thin, up to three scales wide at its widest point (two and a half to three scales at its widest point, always narrowing to one and a half or two scales at its thinnest point) ..............................................................................3
2b. Midlateral bar broad, at least three scales wide at its thinnest point (four scales at its widest point, sometimes narrowing to three scales) ..............................4
3a. Branchiostegal membranes whitish; infraorbital stripe continuously dark across the cheek to the interopercle in adults and juveniles ..............................G. cuyunii
3b. Branchiostegal membranes dusky; infraorbital stripe continuously dark across the cheek to the interopercle in juveniles, but faded from orbit to dorsal edge of preopercle in adults, forming a "teardrop" mark across the preopercle and interopercle ...............................................................................G. dacrya
4a. Black pigmentation of anterior three dorsal-fin spines not retained in adults ...........................................................................................................5
4b. Black pigmentation of anterior three dorsal-fin spines retained in adults ............6
5a. Midlateral bar uniform; white spots on dorsal-fin larger than darker markings surrounding them .........................................................................G. geayi
5b. Midlateral bar not uniform, midlateral spot located above the upper lateral line; white spots on dorsal-fin smaller than darker markings surrounding them ............ .........................................................................................G. sphenozona
6a. Midlateral spot small, round; midlateral bar wedge shaped (thinner ventrally than dorsally) ................................................................................G. stergiosi
6b. Midlateral spot large, oval shaped; midlateral bar not wedge shape (uniform thickness) ...........................................................................G. owroewefi