Key to all species of the genus Automate 1. Rostrum reaching nearly anterior margin of carapace.........................................................2 -. Rostrum, if present, not reaching as far as anterior margin of carapace............................................4 2. Antennal scale overreaching second segment of antennular peduncle.............................................3 -. Antennal scale reaching barely to level of midlength of second segment of antennular peduncle... A. talismani Coutière, 1902 3. Disto-lateral spine of scaphocerite not exceed anterior margin of blade................ A. hayashii Anker & Komai, 2004 -. Disto-lateral spine of scaphocerite distinct overreaching anterior margin of blade.............. A. salomoni Coutière, 1908 4. Antennal scale with lateral margin somewhat sinuous......................................................... 5 -. Antennal scale with lateral margin convex, concave, or nearly strait, not sinuous....................................7 5. Rostrum small but distinct; antennal scale with disto-lateral tooth slender and far overreaching distal margin of blade......6 -. Rostrum absent; antennal scale with disto-lateral tooth short, not overreaching distal margin of blade.................................................................................................... A. rectifrons Chace, 1972 6. Lower margin of major chela bearing one deep notch; carpus of minor cheliped 1/2 length of chela, cutting edge of dactylus not dentate................................................................... A. anacanthopusoides sp. nov. -. Lower margin of major chela smooth, only slightly concave; carpus of minor cheliped shorter than 1/3 length of chela, cutting edge of dactylus dentate....................................................... A. anacanthopus De Man, 1910 7. Rostrum absent......................................................................... A. spinosa sp. nov. -. Rostrum present.......................................................................................8 8. Third pereiopod with about 5 spines on ventral margin of propodus..................... A. dolichognatha De Man, 1888 -. Third pereiopod setose, without spines on ventral margin of propodus............................................9 9. Basal segment of antennal peduncle (basicerite) armed with minute distal tooth at base of antennal scale..................................................................................... A. branchialis Holthuis & Gottlieb, 1985 -. Basal segment of antennal peduncle (basicerite) unarmed.....................................................10 10. Major chela rugose on both margins of palm............................................ A. rugosa Coutière, 1902 -. Major chela not rugose on margins of palm........................................... A. evermanni Rathbun, 1901

Published as part of Wang, Yan-Rong & Sha, Zhong-Li, 2017, Description of two new species of the genus Automate De Man, 1888 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) from the South China Sea in Zootaxa 4238 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4238.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/344997