Melanagromyza koizumii Kato, 1961
In his species description Kato, 1961 provided brilliant drawings of the immature stages. In contrast the male genitalia in that paper are not reliable enough to recognize the species (reproduced in Spencer, 1973). Therefore a proper identification is currently not possible. The larval characters suggest close relationship to Melanagromyza dolichostigma. The only known difference between the two species is the different oviposition mode (Spencer, 1973). M. koizumii females lay their eggs directly into the stems and not into the leaves (see below).
BIONOMICS
(After Kato, 1961):
Similar to dolichostigma with the exception that the females lay their eggs directly into the stem instead of at the underside of young leaves.
Oviposition takes place directly in the stem near the top of twigs. Newly hatched larvae mine along the inner side of the cortex layer but from the second instar the larvae penetrate more deeply into the stem. The puparium remains within the stem, with the anterior end protruding through a hole previously prepared by the larva.
HOST PLANTS
Glycine max, Glycine soja and the wild host Rhynchosia acuminatifolia.
DISTRIBUTION
Japan.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
Unknown, after the original description the species was not recorded again.