page_title: Stylostome
hierarchical_section_title: Stylostome
caption_attribution_description: English: Photograph of a parasitic mite of domestic animals.
context_page_description: The stylostome is a funnel- or channel-like structure formed in response to trombiculid mites. The formation is not caused by the mouthparts of the mites, because these mites do not have needle-like mouthparts as other hematophagous animals have been known to have, but have chelicerae, which only pierce the skin. The tube is formed by the digestive enzymes in the saliva, which are the same salivary secretions that break down cells and cause the surrounding tissue to harden. As the mite feeds longer, the saliva seeps farther down, and digesting more tissue, therefore causes the stylosome to penetrate to lower layers of skin.
context_section_description: The stylostome is a funnel- or channel-like structure formed in response to trombiculid mites. The formation is not caused by the mouthparts of the mites, because these mites do not have needle-like mouthparts as other hematophagous animals have been known to have, but have chelicerae, which only pierce the skin. The tube is formed by the digestive enzymes in the saliva, which are the same salivary secretions that break down cells and cause the surrounding tissue to harden. As the mite feeds longer, the saliva seeps farther down, and digesting more tissue, therefore causes the stylosome to penetrate to lower layers of skin.
caption: Trombicula mite larva with stylostome
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