Abstract
Two eriophyid mites, Eriophyes ficus COTTE and Paraphytoptus sp., were found on fig, Ficus carica L., and chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum morifolium RAMAT., respectively, which showed symptoms of mottling of leaves, in Honshu, Japan. The two mites had not been previously recorded in Japan. Moreover, this is the first report of the genus Paraphytoptus NALEPA from this country. The morphological features of the females of these species were described on the basis of the examination by scanning electron microscopy. The ridges of the female genital coverflap of E. ficus numbered 8 to 10. E. ficus was found to inhabit the hairs on the undersurface of the fig leaves, and to induce mottling of the leaves. The females of Paraphytoptus sp. were recognized by the following characters: Featherclaws 6-rayed. Shield with median line complete, ending at its rear margin; admedian lines complete, gradually diverging; the first submedian line running backwards, bifurcate anterior to dorsal tubercles. Genital coverflap with 16-19 longitudinal ribs. The females of this species closely resemble those of Eriophyes langei KEIFER, but the former seems to differ from the latter in the structures of the genital coverflap and featherclaws. Paraphytoptus sp. was found to inhabit the calyces and the hairs on the undersurface of the chrysanthemum leaves and stems. This mite induced mottling or chlorotic ringspot of the leaves.
