In this study three types of domatia; Tuft (T), Pocket-Tuft (PT) and Pocket (P) were observed on some species of the genus Cornus. Cornus officinalis Sieb & Zuee and C. florida Linnaeus possess T type, C. controversa Hemsl and C. walteri Wangerin possess PT type while C. alba Linnaeus possess P type. A total of 120 leaves were investigated for foliar mite’s population. T type domatia was the habitat of 329 mites (48.89%), followed by PT type where 198 mites (29.41%) were found, and the least favored was the P type domatia that accommodated 146 mites (21.70%) out of 673 mites in total. The mean number of mites per domatia was 8(±0.22), 4(±0.95) and 3(±0.70) for T, PT and P type, respectively. The alternative hypothesis that foliar mites prefer T type domatia as a habitat than PT and P type domatia was accepted based on these findings at a probability of P<0.05. Thus, it was concluded that foliar mites prefer T type domatia than the other two types. This could be due to the nature and efficiency of T type domatia in ensuring mites protection from predators and unfriendly environmental conditions. Therefore, the presence of denser tufts lowers the risks of predation and unfriendly environmental conditions and results in a higher number of mites.

Three types of leaf domatia; Pocket (P), Tufts (T) and Tufts-Pocket (TP) were observed in the five species of Cornus namely; Cornus kousa, C. controversa, C. officinalis, C. walteri and C. alba. In C. walteri no tufts were observed, the domatia was just a well developed pocket one. In C. officinalis and C. kousa, tufts domatia of brownish color were observed but C. officinalis developed denser tufts than those observed in C. kousa. Unlike in C. kousa where the domatia covered about only ½ of the axil, in the C. officinalis tufts covered almost ¾ of the axil. In both species the tufts domatia were located in the inner side of the leaf axil. In C. controversa and C. alba whitish colored tufts were observed covering Pockets and hence the Tuft‐Pocket domatia. In C. controversa the tufts were more than in C. alba but in both species the tufts were short and were located in the inner sides of the axil. Thus, based on these physiological features it was concluded that C. officinalis and C. kousa are sister species likewise C. controversa and C. alba while C. walteri belong to another lineage. The advancement of domatia (absence of tufts) in C. walteri suggests that they are the most advanced while C. officinalis and C. kousa the most primitive due to their possession of highly developed tufts and C. controversa and C. alba the intermediates.

활엽수종들의 초식에 대한 방어전략으로 선택하고 있는 도마티아의 전형적인 형태를 밝히고자 6수종의 잎을 대상으로 도마티아의 형태와 해부학적 구조를 관찰하였다. 도마티아 형태는 쌈지형, 털북숭이형, 호주머니형, 호주머니+털북숭이형 등의 형태가 관찰되었다. 이러한 결과는 활엽수가 포식 응애와의 상리공생을 위하여 도마티아 구조를 발달시켜 왔다고 사료된다.