Biodiversity of the Huautla Cave System, Oaxaca, Mexico

The Balkan region is rich in limestone deposits, which have created one of the largest hotspots of subterranean biodiversity. This paper gives an overview of the diversity of subterranean terrestrial arthropods in Resava Cave in eastern Serbia. This cave is protected and has the status of a natural monument. At the same time, it is one of the most visited caves in Serbia and its surroundings. Our study comprises the results of three years of biospeleological investigations of the famous Serbian cave in combination with data from the few available literature sources on the arthropod fauna of the cave. The arthropod samples were collected both manually and with pitfall traps. A total of 107 arthropod species from the four major subphyla were registered in the cave: 66 species of Hexapoda, 27 species of Chelicerata, 11 species of Myriapoda and three species of Crustacea. For four troglobitic, 16 troglophilic and 87 trogloxenic species recorded in the cave, descriptions of their microhabitats and information on their distribution in the cave are given. Considering the medium size of Resava Cave and the lack of permanent water flow in the two main levels on the one hand, and the large number of arthropod species recorded on the other, the cave is relatively rich in hypogean terrestrial arthropod fauna compared to other caves in Serbia that have been biospeleologically studied so far.

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 71%

The Diversity of Subterranean Terrestrial Arthropods in Resava Cave (Eastern Serbia)

Vesović,

Deltshev,

Mitov

et al. 2024

“…Now we reach 37 species for five caves, all connected by a subterranean drainage (part of the Rio Coisa river), covering a linear extension of 4.3 km. This extension is significantly smaller than that observed for other caves considered hotspots in Brazil and worldwide: the Areias Cave System in southeastern Brazil, formed by three connected caves, currently harbors more than 31 species and has about 8.5 km of mapped passages (ME Bichuette and JE Gallão, updated data); the Água Clara Cave System in northeastern Brazil, formed by four caves, harbors 31 species and has about 25.8 km of mapped passages [23]; the Huautla Cave System in Oaxaca, Mexico, harbors 27 species and has about 89 km of mapped passages [24]; the Fern Cave System in northeastern Alabama, USA, harbors 27 species and has over 25 km of mapped passages [25].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

There and Back Again—The Igatu Hotspot Siliciclastic Caves: Expanding the Data for Subterranean Fauna in Brazil, Chapada Diamantina Region

Gallão,

Ribeiro,

Gallo

et al. 2023

The caves of Igatu, municipality of Andaraí, belonging to the region known as Chapada Diamantina represent a new hotspot of subterranean fauna. These caves are siliciclastic, which are sedimentary rocks where silica predominates, such as sandstones and (following metamorphism) quartzites, which makes them even more relevant from the point of view of subterranean diversity. For five caves, which we named Igatu Cave System (ICS), thirty-seven obligate cave species were found, of which thirty-five were troglobitic and two were stygobitic. The troglobitic taxa for ICS belong to three phyla, nine classes, 18 orders, and 32 families, representing a high phylogenetic diversity. Some taxa were, for the first time, reported as troglobitic in Brazil and even worldwide, such as Acari and scutigeromorphans (Chilopoda). We started the studies in 2009 and continue trough long-term monitoring projects. Some threats, severe in the past, such as “garimpo’’ (illegal small-scale artisanal mining) continue nowadays in an incipient way; however, the urban expansion due to the touristic appeal is also considered a threat. Our data ranked ICS as the Brazilian hotspot with the highest number of troglobitic/stygobitic species.

“…The cave-limited fauna of the Crystal-Wonder Cave System is remarkably diverse with 31 troglobionts and stygobionts, making it the most diverse cave system in the southern Cumberland Plateau region, and one of the most diverse cave systems in all of North America. With 31 cave-limited species, the Crystal-Wonder Cave System trails only the San Marcos artesian Well in central Texas (55 species; [85]) and the Mammoth Cave System in central Kentucky (49 species; [86]) and ranks ahead of the Fern Cave System in Alabama (27 species; [10]) and Sistema Huautla in Oaxaca, Mexico (27 species; [87]). In particular, the terrestrial fauna is exceptionally rich with 23 species, trailing only the Mammoth Cave System (32 troglobionts; [86]) and Sistema Huautla (27 species; [87]) in North America.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With 31 cave-limited species, the Crystal-Wonder Cave System trails only the San Marcos artesian Well in central Texas (55 species; [85]) and the Mammoth Cave System in central Kentucky (49 species; [86]) and ranks ahead of the Fern Cave System in Alabama (27 species; [10]) and Sistema Huautla in Oaxaca, Mexico (27 species; [87]). In particular, the terrestrial fauna is exceptionally rich with 23 species, trailing only the Mammoth Cave System (32 troglobionts; [86]) and Sistema Huautla (27 species; [87]) in North America. The stygofauna of the Crystal-Wonder Cave System is also diverse (8 species), but not remarkable compared to other hotspot subterranean communities in North America, such as the San Marcos Artesian Well in Texas (55 species; [85]), Mammoth Cave System in Kentucky (17 species; [86]), and Shelta Cave in Alabama (12 species, [9,88]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Crystal-Wonder Cave System: A New Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity in the Southern Cumberland Plateau of South-Central Tennessee, USA

Niemiller,

Zigler,

Hinkle

et al. 2023

The Crystal-Wonder Cave System developed in the Western Escarpment of the southern Cumberland Plateau in the Interior Low Plateau karst region of south-central Tennessee, USA is a global hotspot of cave-limited biodiversity. We combined historical literature, museum accessions, and database occurrences with new observations from bio-inventory efforts conducted between 2005 and 2022 to compile an updated list of troglobiotic and stygobiotic biodiversity for the Crystal-Wonder Cave System. The list of cave-limited fauna includes 31 species (23 troglobionts and 8 stygobionts) with 28 and 18 species documented from the Crystal and Wonder caves, respectively, which represents five phyla, ten classes, nineteen orders, and twenty-six families (six arachnids, three springtails, two diplurans, three millipedes, six insects, three terrestrial snails, one flatworm, five crustaceans, and two vertebrates, respectively). The Crystal-Wonder Cave System is the type locality for six species—Anillinus longiceps, Pseudanophthalmus humeralis, P. intermedius, Ptomaphagus hatchi, Tolus appalachius, and Chitrella archeri. The carabid beetle Anillinus longiceps is endemic to the Crystal-Wonder Cave System. Sixteen species are of conservation concern, including twelve taxa with NatureServe conservation ranks of G1–G3. The exceptional diversity of the Crystal-Wonder Cave System has been associated with several factors, including a high dispersal potential of cave fauna associated with expansive karst exposures along the Western Escarpment of the southern Cumberland Plateau, a high surface productivity, and a favorable climate throughout the Pleistocene.