Caprithrips melanophthalmus (Bagnall)

(Figs 2, 9–16)

Described from Southern France, and recorded from the Canary Islands and India (Bhatti 1980), this species is here newly recorded from Japan .

Diagnosis. Distended body length about 1.3 mm. Body uniformly yellow. Antennal segments I–IV yellow, V yellow with distal half shaded, VI pale brown; all legs yellow; prominent body setae pale. Head without ocelli, almost as long as wide, prolonged forward, dorsally with transverse striae throughout, cheeks straight (Fig. 9). Antennae 6-segmented, segments III and IV with simple sensoria, VI longest (Fig. 10). Pronotum slightly trapezoidal and with no long setae, with transverse striae throughout, with 9–10 posteromarginal setae, median pair slightly in front of posterior margin. Mesonotum separated from metanotum by complete but often weak suture, with transverse lines of sculpture throughout; mesoepimeron covered with granules (Fig. 11). Metanotum without CPS. Prosternal ferna divided, indistinctly merged into basantra; basantra semimembranous, with transverse striae and 5–8 setae (Fig. 12). Abdominal tergites with broad posteromarginal craspeda having no serrations, with transverse lines of sculpture throughout (Figs 13–14); tergite IX with both anterior and posterior pairs of CPS, MD setae developed but not exceeding posterior margin of this segment; sternites with broad posteromarginal craspeda having serrations between the setae (Fig. 15); sternite VII without craspeda at middle (Fig. 16).

Male. Unknown.

Specimens examined. Japan: Honshu, Hiroshima Pref., Hiroshima City, Higashi-ku, Ushitayama: 1 female on grass, 25.x.1994 (TUA) . 1 female on bamboo, 25.x.1994 (TUA).