acarodomatia

File:Acarodomatia in Bahiana occidentalis.jpg

Acarodomatia (singular Acarodomatium) (Latin: Acari - mites, domus - dwelling), are tussocks of hairs or nonglandular trichomes located in pits situated in major leaf vein axes of many plant species, occupied and caused by predatory and mycophagous mites.[http://www.everythingbio.com/glos/definition.php?word=acarodomatia Biology definitions]

Acarodomatia have also been described from lizards where they are commonly called "mite pockets".{{Cite journal|last1=Bertrand|first1=M.|last2=Modrý|first2=D.|date=2004|title=The role of mite pocket-like structures on Agama caudospinosa (Agamidae) infested by Pterygosoma livingstonei sp. n. (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae).|journal=Folia Parasitologica|volume=51|issue=1|pages=61–66|doi=10.14411/FP.2004.009|pmid=15139379|s2cid=3618881|doi-access=free}} These cavities or skin folds are usually located around the neck or behind the legs and occupied by chiggers. Their function is debated,{{Cite journal|last1=Bauer|first1=Aaron M.|last2=Russell|first2=Anthony P.|last3=Dollahon|first3=Norman R.|date=2011-02-15|title=Function of the mite pockets of lizards: a reply to E.N. Arnold|url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.1139/z93-112|journal=Canadian Journal of Zoology|volume=71|issue=4|pages=865–868|language=en|doi=10.1139/z93-112}} but they are thought to distract mites from damaging or blocking important skin surfaces such as the tympans.{{Cite journal|last1=Salvador|first1=Alfredo|last2=Veiga|first2=José P.|last3=Civantos|first3=Emilio|date=1999|title=Do Skin Pockets of Lizards Reduce the Deleterious Effects of Ectoparasites? An Experimental Study with Psammodromus algirus|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3893063|journal=Herpetologica|volume=55|issue=1|pages=1–7|jstor=3893063|issn=0018-0831}}