It includes more than a dozen obligate, sexually transmissible pathogenic species that infect (and kill) adult gregarious cicadas (Hemiptera) worldwide. At least two species are known to produce psychoactive compounds during infection:[7][8]M. cicadina is known to produce cathinone; M. platypediae or M. levispora produces psilocybin.[9]
The genus name of Massospora was derived from two words in the Greek, masso which means 'to grind' and spora for 'spore'.
This then describes the complete disintegration of the host-insect's internal tissues eventually leading to a (described by the author as), "pulverulent mass of spores within" that can be seen after the terminal parts of the abdomen fall off.
^ abPeck, C. H. 1879. Report of the Botanist. In: Thirty-First Annual Report on the
New York State Museum of Natural History by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, pp. 19-60.
^Boyce, Greg R.; Gluck-Thaler, Emile; Slot, Jason C.; Stajich, Jason E.; Davis, William J.; James, Tim Y.; Cooley, John R.; Panaccione, Daniel G.; Eilenberg, Jørgen; De Fine Licht, Henrik H.; Macias, Angie M.; Berger, Matthew C.; Wickert, Kristen L.; Stauder, Cameron M.; Spahr, Ellie J.; Maust, Matthew D.; Metheny, Amy M.; Simon, Chris; Kritsky, Gene; Hodge, Kathie T.; Humber, Richard A.; Gullion, Terry; Short, Dylan P.G.; Kijimoto, Teiya; Mozgai, Dan; Arguedas, Nidia; Kasson, Matt T. (October 2019). "Psychoactive plant- and mushroom-associated alkaloids from two behavior modifying cicada pathogens". Fungal Ecology. 41: 147–164. bioRxiv10.1101/375105. doi:10.1016/j.funeco.2019.06.002.