Domatia are specialised plant structures that provide housing for beneficial insects and mites. In a recent study, Chomicki and colleagues examined the diversity and development of these structures across various plant species. They found that domatia have evolved independently many times in different plant groups. Their study focused on understanding the morphological variety of domatia and the developmental processes behind their formation.
The researchers discovered a wide range of domatia types, including leaf pouches, hollow stems, and specialised root structures. Interestingly, some domatia have evolved complex internal structures, such as specialised walls for nutrient absorption from insect waste. The variety of domatia is a puzzle. It seems to come from localised cell death or altered growth patterns in plant tissues.
The research is the result of a review of previous studies on domatia across plant species, analysing anatomical data and comparing domatia formation to normal plant development. Chomicki and colleagues found domatia in many different plant families, indicating they have evolved independently hundreds of times in different plant groups.
The morphological, phylogenetic, and developmental diversity of domatia across plants suggests that domatia development integrates multiple genetic pathways across systems… While differences exist across domatia types, the relative importance of different developmental processes and whether they rely on the same developmental genetic pathways across distinct taxa is an open question.
Chomicki, G., Walker-Hale, N., Etchells, J.P., Ritter, E.J. & Weber, M.G. 2024. Diversity and development of domatia: Symbiotic plant structures to host mutualistic ants or mites. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102647
