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A troglobite (or, formally, troglobiont) is an animal species, or population of a species, strictly bound to underground habitats, such as caves.These are separate from species that mainly live in above-ground habitats but are also able to live underground (eutroglophiles), and species that are only cave visitors (subtroglophiles and trogloxenes). [1]
Cave dwelling animals show different levels of adaptations to underground environment. According to a recent classification, animals living in terrestrial subterranean habitats can be classified into 3 categories, based on their ecology: troglobionts (or troglobites): species strongly bound to subterranean habitats;
Some troglofauna live permanently underground and cannot survive outside the cave environment. Troglofauna adaptations and characteristics include a heightened sense of hearing, touch and smell. [1] Loss of under-used senses is apparent in the lack of pigmentation as well as eyesight in most troglofauna.
A deep-diving robot that chiseled into the rocky Pacific seabed at a spot where two of the immense plates comprising Earth's outer shell meet has unearthed a previously unknown realm of animal ...
Other trogloxenic animals include vertebrates such as bears, hyenas, other predators, reptiles, oilbirds, cave swiftlets and even humans, that enter for short term shelter or for hibernation. Most of them contribute organic matter rather than consuming it, and are important resources for troglobitic insects, many of which actually specialise in ...
The Mexican blind brotula and other cave-dwelling brotulas are among the few species that live in anchialine habitats. Although many cavefish species are restricted to underground lakes, pools or rivers in actual caves, some are found in aquifers and may only be detected by humans when artificial wells are dug into this layer.
The presence of burrowing animals also has a direct impact on the soil's composition, structure, and growing vegetation. The impact these animals have can range from feeding, harvesting, caching and soil disturbances, but can differ considering the large diversity of fossorial species – especially herbivorous species.
Stygofauna can live within freshwater aquifers and within the pore spaces of limestone, calcrete or laterite, whilst larger animals can be found in cave waters and wells. Stygofaunal animals, like troglofauna, are divided into three groups based on their life history - stygophiles, stygoxenes, and stygobites.