Myosoma

Brullé, 1846

Myosoma is a of in the (). The genus was described by Brullé in 1846 and has priority over a later homonym in Entoprocta. At least two are known from the Old World: M. chinensis and M. nyanzaensis, the latter described from Kenya as a gregarious of the stem-borer pest partellus.

Myosoma pilosipes by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Myosoma: /maɪəˈsoʊmə/

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Identification

Distinguished from other by morphological features detailed in descriptions; M. nyanzaensis specifically distinguished from M. chinensis by diagnostic characters described in the original description (exact features not specified in available abstract).

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Habitat

Agricultural environments with plants; M. nyanzaensis has been reared from maize and sorghum fields in Kenya.

Distribution

Old World; M. chinensis occurs in Asia, M. nyanzaensis described from Kenya representing the first Afrotropical record for the .

Host Associations

Chilo partellus - gregarious of ; reared from maize and sorghum in Kenya

Life Cycle

Gregarious of lepidopteran ; multiple individuals develop externally on a single larva.

Behavior

Gregarious development on .

Ecological Role

agent of agricultural , specifically stem-borer in cereal .

Human Relevance

Potential agent for management of partellus, a significant pest of maize and sorghum in Africa.

Similar Taxa

BraconM. chinensis was originally described as Bracon chinensis before transfer to Myosoma; indicates historical taxonomic proximity and potential morphological similarity requiring careful distinction.

Misconceptions

The name Myosoma has been used for an entoproct (Myopedicellina, formerly Myosoma spinosa Robertson, 1900), but this is a junior homonym; the valid use of Myosoma applies only to the genus described by Brullé in 1846.

More Details

Nomenclatural priority

The name Myosoma Brullé, 1846 has priority over Myosoma Robertson, 1900 (Entoprocta), which was replaced by Myopedicellina.

Taxonomic composition

The contains at least two described Old World : M. chinensis (Szépligeti) . n. and M. nyanzaensis sp. n.