Key to Japanese species of Aeolothrips

1. Fore wing with sub-basal cross band posteriorly elongated to near apex along posterior margin of wing (Figs 10, 21)....................................................................................................... vittatus

-. Fore wing with two cross bands (Figs 1, 15)................................................................. 2

2. Cross bands on fore wing connected posteriorly (Fig. 17)...................................................... 3

-. Cross bands on fore wing not connected (Fig. 1).............................................................. 4

3. Dark area between cross bands not reaching to second vein (Fig. 17); antennal segment IV dark brown; antennal segment VI much longer than wide, 1.8–1.9 times as long as width (Fig. 40).......................................... kurosawai

-. Dark area between cross bands extending beyond second vein (Fig. 19); antennal segment IV almost uniformly yellow; antennal segment VI slightly longer than wide 1.1 times as long as width (Fig. 40).............................. melaleucus

4. Body uniformly dark brown (Fig. 1)................................................................. fasciatus

-. Body largely pale, often bicoloured, at least pronotum uniformly pale (Figs 3, 6).................................... 5

5. Pronotum with posteromarginal setae not longer than anteromarginal setae; mesonotum with median pair of setae much shorter and more slender than lateral pairs; head pale with large brown marking medially on dorsal surface; femora shaded dorsally, all tibiae brown (Fig. 6).............................................................................. luteolus

-. Pronotum with some posteromarginal setae much longer than anteromarginal setae; mesonotum with median pair of setae subequal in length or slightly longer than lateral pairs; head uniformly pale, with no brown marking; all legs almost uniformly pale (Fig. 3).............................................................................................. 6

6. Abdominal sternite V with 8 (rarely 7) posteromarginal setae; abdomen almost uniformly pale, indistinctly shaded anterolaterally on some tergites; antennal segment II pale............................................... fukushimensis sp. n.

-. Abdominal sternite V with 6 (rarely 5) posteromarginal setae; abdomen largely pale but bicoloured, tergite X brown, tergites I– VIII with pale brown transverse bands anterolaterally (Fig. 8), antennal segment II shaded.................. setosus sp. n.