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The presence of mycobacteria was studied in Bull Rock Cave ("Byci skala") and the water catchment area of Jedovnice Brook ("Jedovnicky potok") using direct microscopy after Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, culture examination and molecular techniques. Mycobacteria were detected in 47.1% of a total of 68 samples. The mycobacterial genes hsp65 and dnaA were detected and sequenced in 37 (74.0%) out of the 50 cave environmental samples and in 10 (55.6%) out of the 18 samples of water catchment sediments. Nine species of slowly growing mycobacteria (M. terrae, M. arupense, M. gordonae, M. lentiflavum, M. parascrofulaceum, M. parmense, M. saskatchewanense, M. simiae and M. xenopi) and two subsp. (M. avium subsp. avium and M. avium subsp. hominissuis) were detected. Fourteen species of rapidly growing mycobacteria (M. chelonae, M. chubuense, M. poriferae, M. flavescens, M. fortuitum, M. porcinum, M. rhodesiae, M. gilvum, M. goodii, M. peregrinum, M. mageritense, M. vanbaalenii, M. gadium and M. insubricum) were detected. The highest mycobacterial presence was documented by ZN staining and/or culture examinations in earthworm castings and bat guano (73.3% positivity out of the 15 samples) in the cave environment and in the water sediments collected under the outflow from the wastewater treatment plants (77.8% positivity out of nine samples). The highest total organic carbon (TOC) was detected in wooden material and earthworm castings with pH values between 5.0 and 7.7 in the cave environment and in water sediments collected under the outflow from the wastewater treatment plants with pH between 5.8 and 7.0. It could be concluded that the karst cave environment with its running surface water contaminated with different microorganisms or chemical substances creates favourable conditions not only for animals (especially earthworms) but also for mycobacteria. This fact is also demonstrated by the presence of these mycobacteria in the cave environment mainly in earthworm castings and bat guano. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

That the ties between any obligate subterranean species and the hypogean environment depend on the interplay of a species' own physiological characteristics and all of the ecological characteristics of the adjacent epigean habitat(s), including biotic factors, has been emphasized. The reasons why troglomorphy cannot be included within criteria for classifying cave dwellers have been demonstrated. After a review of historic classifications, standardized definitions of the most widely used terms are proposed. The most easily recognized are four categories which are terminological approximations of the classic Schiner-Racovitza terminology: (1) troglobiont is a species or population, strictly bound to a hypogean habitat; (2) eutroglophile is an essentially epigean species, but able to maintain a permanent subterranean population; (3) subtroglophile is inclined perpetually or temporarily to inhabit a subterranean habitat but is bound to the surface for some biological functions (e.g. feeding); (4) trogloxene is a species only occurring sporadically underground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an optimized Taguchi-objective function segmentation-based image analysis to detect bird nests in a cave from high resolution terrestrial laser scanning intensity images. First, the Taguchi orthogonal array was used to design 25 experiments with three segmentation parameters: scale, shape, and compactness, each having five variable factor levels. Then, a plateau objective function was computed for each experiment using their respective level combinations. A merger of the factor level combination in the orthogonal array and the computed plateau objective function values was used to generate main effects and interaction plots for signal-to-noise ratios, which provided a measure of robustness for scale, shape, and compactness factors. The optimized parameters were used in the segmentation process in eCognition. The image object was then classified into nest and cave-wall on the basis of laser return intensity and area index using knowledge-based rule sets, and the detection accuracy was evaluated. The result produced area under ROC curve of 0.93 with P<0.0001 at 95% confidence level. This indicates that the proposed method is effective for distinguishing birds from cave-wall with high precision. The classification result was transferred to ArcGIS where the detected nests were counted after post-classification editing. A total number of 25,959 nests were counted from the seven scan scenes used. This shows that the fusion of Taguchi and objective function is indeed an effective method to determine optimal segmentation parameters to group image objects as small as birds within a segment. Moreover, the use of segments' spectral intensity value and area index increased classification accuracy significantly. Further, the method was tested for reliability using six additional images. The test of heterogeneity using Cochran's Q and Inconsistency tests produced a P value of 0.384 and I2 value of 5.10% at 95% confidence interval, respectively. This shows that the method is consistent with non-significant difference among the trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on species thermal physiology is extremely important to understand species responses to environmental heterogeneity and changes. Thermography is an emerging technology that allows high resolution and accurate measurement of body temperature, but until now it has not been used to study thermal physiology of amphibians in the wild. Hydromantes terrestrial salamanders are strongly depending on ambient temperature for their activity and gas exchanges, but information on their body temperature is extremely limited. In this study we tested if Hydromantes salamanders are thermoconform, we assessed whether there are temperature differences among body regions, and evaluated the time required to reach the thermal equilibrium. During summers of 2014 and 2015 we analysed 56 salamanders ( Hydromantes ambrosii and Hydromantes italicus ) using infrared thermocamera. We photographed salamanders at the moment in which we found them and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 15 min after having kept them in the hands. Body temperature was equal to air temperature; salamanders attained the equilibrium with air temperature in about 8 min, the time required to reach equilibrium was longer in individuals with large body size. We detected small temperature differences between body parts, the head being slightly warmer than the body and the tail (mean difference: 0.05 °C). These salamanders quickly reach the equilibrium with the environment, thus microhabitat measurement allows obtaining accurate information on their tolerance limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anchialine caves contain haline bodies of water with underground connections to the ocean and limited exposure to open air. Despite being found on islands and peninsular coastlines around the world, the isolation of anchialine systems has facilitated the evolution of high levels of endemism among their inhabitants. The unique characteristics of anchialine caves and of their predominantly crustacean biodiversity nominate them as particularly interesting study subjects for evolutionary biology. However, there is presently a distinct scarcity of modern molecular methods being employed in the study of anchialine cave ecosystems. The use of current and emerging molecular techniques, e.g., next-generation sequencing (NGS), bestows an exceptional opportunity to answer a variety of long-standing questions pertaining to the realms of speciation, biogeography, population genetics, and evolution, as well as the emergence of extraordinary morphological and physiological adaptations to these unique environments. The integration of NGS methodologies with traditional taxonomic and ecological methods will help elucidate the unique characteristics and evolutionary history of anchialine cave fauna, and thus the significance of their conservation in face of current and future anthropogenic threats. Here we review previous contributions to our understanding of anchialine biodiversity and evolution, and discuss the potential of "speleogenomic" methods for future research in these threatened systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winklerites stevanovici sp. nov., of the W. hercegovinensis (Winkler, 1925) species group (sensu GUÉORGUIEV 2007) (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae: Anillini: Scotodipnina), is described from eastern Serbia. Male and female genitalia as well as the habitus are illustrated. The new species is separated from all other species of the group, especially from the very similar W. serbicus Čurćić et al., 2013, by supraorbital setae more distant, posterior pronotal angles pointed and prominent, different position of setae of umbilicate series, median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view with triangular apex longer and slender, with well defi ned pre-apical ventral gibbosity and shorter parameres. The distributional map of all species of the W. hercegovinensis group is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramón Margalef proposed in 1968 that ecosystems could be better understood if they were viewed as cybernetic systems. I tested this hypothesis in the case of hypogean ecosystems using available pieces of evidence. I looked on how information on feedbacks, stability, succession, organization, diversity, and energy flows in the hypogean environment fit the cybernetics hypothesis. The results were that there are convincing arguments that the application of the concept of cybernetics in biospeleology can be beneficial to broadening our understanding of cave biota in terms of their structure. I also make the case that this approach can provide more clarity about how cave biota has evolved through time and the implications for their conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caves are not closed systems. Trophic dynamics in these habitats are driven by resource availability, and species that move between cave and outdoor environments may play a major role in resource availability. Spiders are among the most abundant invertebrates in caves; however, very few studies have tested factors hypothesized to affect the distribution of spiders among caves, and it is not known whether the trophic features of caves play a role in determining the occurrence, abundance, or breeding success of spiders. We assessed the distribution of the cave-dwelling orb-weaver spider Meta menardi in Italy, in a Mediterranean and in a Pre-alpine area during summer and winter. We analyzed the relationships between spider distribution and multiple cave features, describing both the abiotic and the biotic environment. Using visual encounter surveys, the detection probability of this species was high, indicating that this technique provides reliable information on spider distribution. In Mediterranean caves, spider presence was more likely in cold and wet caves with abundant dipterans. In Pre-alpine caves, spider presence was more likely in deep caves with abundant dipterans. Dipteran abundance was the variable best explaining spider distribution when pooling all sampled caves. This study shows that adults of M. menardi do not occur randomly among caves, but select caves with specific features. Prey availability and abiotic features are major determinants of habitat suitability for cave spiders. The strong relationship between spider distribution and prey availability suggests that the distribution of these spiders might be an indicator of the resources available in the twilight zones of caves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study is one of the very few cases of speleomycological research in recently discovered caves. The aim of this research was to assess the population size of fungal colonies and their species composition in the Jarkowicka cave, discovered in 2012. The air samples were taken from one location outside the cave and from two locations inside of it. Mycological evaluation of the rocks inside the cave was performed usingswab sampling procedure. In the Jarkowicka cave we found 22 species of fungi, including 13 isolated from air at the entrance and from the walls, and 8 species from air inside the cave.Cladosporiumspp. were the fungi most frequently isolated from internal atmosphere of the Jarkowicka cave, and from the external air. On the other hand, the fungi most frequently isolated from the rocks wereMucorspp. We found several species not yet described as cave inhabitants:Hypocrea pachybasioides,Cladosporium uredinicola, andEmbellisia abundans.Our study may provide a basis for comparison to other similar studies conducted in frequently visited caves by tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses behavior and habitat of salamanders, and brooding and maternal care in Hydromantes italicus and Hydromantes flavus in natural environments. Topics discussed include brooding females and eggs were found in small fissures within the aphotic zone of caves, maternal care to their newborns, and breeding behavior.

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The beauty of ornament and uniqueness of cave is the potential of Sibiuk Cave that could be made into special interest tourism. Sibiuk Cave is known as Air Conditioner Cave for it has three doors that make the cave cold inside. This study aims to identify the potential that Sibiuk Cave has, which located in Ciampea Subdistrict. This study was conducted from February to May 2020 by applying survey forward method and top to bottom survey system in making Sibiuk Cave profile map and direct collection with rapid assessment method to identify cave ornament and fauna. The results of the study were the existence of stalactites, stalagmite, chamber, column, and boulder as well as faunas such as ancient shrimp (Stenasellus sp), cave cricket (Rhaphidophora sp), tailless whip scorpion (Stygophrynus dammermani), whip scorpion (Thelyphonus caudatus), millipede (Orthomorpha coarctata), land snail (Leptopoma celebesianum), centipede (Scutigeria sp), bat (Rousettus amplexicaudatus), and swift (Collocalia vestita). SIbiuk cave potential is expected to be expanded into special interest tourism of rock climbing, caving, speleology and biospeleology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the eutroglobiont gastropod taxon Zospeum Bourguignat, 1856 is described. Zospeum tholussum sp. n. is characterized based on a population from the Lukina Jama-Trojama cave system (Velebit Mts., Croatia). A single living specimen occurred at 980 m depth. he species is morphologically related to Zospeum amoenum (Frauenfeld, 1856), but can be readily distinguished from the latter by the presence of a weak columellar fold and its dome-like structured 2nd whorl. DNA barcoding is capable to clearly delineate Z. tholussum from other Zospeum spp. as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two significant karst regions in northern Sarawak (Malaysia): Niah and Mulu. Both are famous worldwide for their well developed caves. Here we document the presence of over twenty unusual stalagmites in six cave entrances in these two regions. One of the stalagmites has been previously described as a crayback stalagmite (Lundberg and McFarlane 2011) and they all show indications of biological influence. Our study aimed to establish the locations within the cave entrances where these stalagmites are present and to provide a preliminary overview of the stalagmite forms. The environment, and especially availability and direction of light, was also studied at several sites. Surface scrapings were examined for the presence of cyanobacteria. The morphology of the unusual stalagmites is variable and includes forms that are elongated and crayback-like and others that show features not previously described in craybacks: flat tops, bulbous protuberances, phototropic rims, irregular grooves and ridges and oriented coralloid growth. Several of these features are not found in abiotic stalagmites and suggest biological control. The findings of light surveys confirm that certain features of the stalagmites are phototropically controlled. Filamentous cyanobacteria with calcified sheaths and coccoid cyanobacteria are present. We propose that this diverse group of stalagmite be named "tufaceous stalagmite" of which craybacks are thought to be a sub-group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown. An expedition to world's deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate until -2140 m. Deep subterranean ecosystems should not be seen only as an evolutionary dead end towards the troglomorphic syndrome, but also as a shelter for epigean species populations, especially during long periods of time when surface conditions are severe for their survival. Most of the subsurface biota depends on allochthonous sources of organic carbon coming from: water percolating from the surface, sinking streams that enter caves, and activities of animals moving in and out of caves. The biocoenosis and the vertical distribution of invertebrate fauna of Krubera-Voronja are provided, from its entrance to the remarkable depth of 2140 meters, including the discovery of world's deepest dwelling arthropod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of a troglobitic Pselaphinae is described. Tychobythinus molarensis sp. n. has shown many adaptations to cave life: wingless and anophthalmous, very elongated legs and antennae. The new species differs from others related taxa in different arrangement of some characters of external morphology, especially the shape of profemora and protibiae of male, and for the peculiar morphology of aedeagus. The new species up to now is known only from Molara Cave, a single limestone cave of the north-western Sicily. (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krubera-Voronya cave and other deep systems in Arabika Massif are being explored during many speleological expeditions. A recent Ibero-Russian exploration expedition (summer of 2010) took place in this cave with the aim of providing a study of the biocenosis of the deepest known cave in the world. Four new species of Collembola were found at different depths: Schaefferia profundissima n. sp., Anurida stereoodorata n. sp., Deuteraphorura kruberaensis n. sp., and Plutomurus ortobalaganensis n. sp., the last one at -1980 m deep. The identification and description of the new species have required the careful study of all congeneric species, implying a revision of each genus. As a result of this work tables and keys to all significant characters for each species are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixty-two years since last observed alive, Mormotomyia hirsuta Austen, the "terrible hairy fly", was found inside and outside a large, cave-like cleft boulder at the summit of Ukasi Hill in eastern Kenya, the type locality of the species. Adults were observed climbing the walls of the boulder and walking on thick layers of bat guano, in which larvae and puparia were also discovered. Large numbers of M. hirsuta were observed on and at the base of the northern side of the boulder, which at the time of capture experienced continuous shade during daylight hours. Only three individuals were observed at the southern opening, exposed to direct sunlight and hot, dry conditions. A collection of vertebrate bones and skulls from layers of guano both inside and outside the cleft revealed several vertebrate associates, including two species of Chiroptera, Chaerephon cf. bivittatus (Heuglin) and Tadarida aegyptiaca (E. Geoffroy), which are probably the two major guano-producing species responsible for the larval breeding medium. Male-biased sexual size dimorphism was pronounced in adult M. hirsuta, with seven body-part measurements, including legs, larger by 33-61 % in males than females. Males demonstrated isometric growth while female growth was allometric. In contrast to males, female head and thorax lengths did not increase proportionally with leg length. Estimates of genetic diversity in the Ukasi population show higher than expected allelic diversity and indicate possible gene flow and frequent population bottlenecks. To promote the conservation of this endangered species, a joint effort has been initiated between the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi and the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, to gazette the Ukasi hill area as a protected site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subterranean cave ecosystems are characterized by perpetual darkness, almost constant ambient temperature, limited source of food supply and relatively high humidity. The occurrence of circadian rhythms in organisms living in such an ecosystem always attracts chronobiologists to understand the phenomena of time-measuring mechanisms. Few attempts have been made to correlate such rhythmic patterns of the organism with the putative periodicities in weak zeitgebers. In the present study, the effects of periodic feeding schedules on the characteristics of circadian rhythm in the vertical swimming activity of the cave loach Nemacheilus evezardi were examined. Results reveal that periodic feeding at 18:00 has the ability to synchronize the vertical swimming activity rhythm. It seems that periodic restricted feeding could act as a powerful zeitgeber of circadian rhythms in subterranean organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The diversity of the obligate cave-dwelling fauna has proved difficult to measure because of the highly localized distributions of most species. We investigated: (1) the local and regional diversity patterns of a major component of the obligate cave-dwelling fauna living in the epikarst zone, the karst layer closest to the surface; (2) variations in local and regional patterns of species richness; and (3) sampling sufficiency at multiple scales. Location Caves in the Dinaric Mountains of Slovenia. Methods We sampled continuously the abundance of 37 species of copepods dislodged from the epikarst from 35 ceiling drips in six caves for a period of one year. Copepods were collected in a specially designed net that allowed continuous collection. Results Based on species accumulation curves and Chao estimates of total diversity, we determined that 3–4 months of continuous sampling were sufficient to find 90% of the species in a drip, that five drips were sufficient to find 90% of the species in a cave, and that five caves were sufficient to find 90% of the species in a region. Main conclusions The epikarst copepod fauna is a significant part of the aquatic cave fauna, contributing about 20% at the regional level. Because of the scale of variation, much of which occurs within a cave, and because of the availability of continuous sampling devices, the epikarst component of subterranean diversity seems to be more thoroughly and accurately measured than do other components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the discovery of an enormous cave room beneath Fall Creek Falls State Park in southeastern Tennessee. Biological significance of the speleological find; Concern about the environmental impact of a proposed sewage treatment plant.

Katacamilla cavernicola Papp, collected from caves at four localities in northern and central Namibia, is here shown to exhibit both parietal and troglophilic habitat preferences, and the larval stage is trophically guanobious. Katacamilla cavernicola was reared in the laboratory from the guano of the rock pigeon Columba guinea L. (parietal), and of the common slit-faced bat Nycteris thebaica Geoffrey (troglophilic) and larvae and puparia were obtained. The duration of the larval stage of K. cavernicola was found to be 7 days and the pupal stage 6–7 days, eggs remaining dormant within guano, and larval development being apparently triggered by periodic moistening, either by urine, or other liquids. Descriptions of the third instar larva and puparium are presented and are illustrated with line drawings and stereoscan micrographs. These descriptions of the immature stages are the first known for the Camillidae. Larval features are compared to the three closely related families in the Ephydroidea, for which the immature stages are known: Drosophilidae, Curtonotidae and Ephydridae. The larval morphology of Katacamilla is found to be generally close to the putative groundplan for the Ephydroidea. However, the basal sclerite has very large open windows with the ventral arm of the dorsal cornu being very long and needle-like. The thoracic segments are very long and slender and unusually well-separated from one another, and the abdominal segments and the prothoracic Keilin organs are very close together, a trait that is within the Ephydroidea currently only known in the Ephydridae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Nothing could possibly live there!" They believed. Indeed, until recently, few specialized cave-adapted animals were known from volcanic, tropical, or oceanic island caves, and plausible theories had been put forward to explain their absence. But assume nothing in science! One must illuminate, explore, and survey habitats before declaring them barren. Our understanding of cave biology changed dramatically about 50 years ago following the serendipitous discovery of cave-adapted terrestrial arthropods in Brazil and on the young oceanic islands of the Galápagos and Hawai'i. These discoveries and subsequent studies on the evolutionary ecology of cave animals have revealed a remarkable hidden fauna and created new sub-disciplines within biospeleology. Biological surveys of caves in other regions have continued to expand our understanding of the evolution, adaptation, and ecology of the subterranean biome. We now predict that, rather than being relicts trapped in caves by changing climate, many animals actively colonized caves and adapted to exploit food resources wherever there were suitable subterranean voids. The physical environment in caves can be determined with great precision because the habitat is buffered by rock. Furthermore, the bizarre adaptations displayed by obligatory cave animals are similar across many taxonomic groups. These two characteristics make caves nearly ideal natural laboratories for studying evolution and ecology. However, to the untrained researcher, caves can appear hostile and dangerous, and in fact, fieldwork in caves requires a unique marriage of athletic ability and science. In other words, cave research is exciting! In this contribution, I describe the exploration, discovery, and research in tropical caves and describe the factors that delayed the recognition of a significant tropical cave fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terrestrial subsurface harbors unique microbial communities that play important biogeochemical roles and allow for studying a yet unknown fraction of the Earth's biodiversity. The Saint-Leonard cave in Montreal City (Canada) is of glaciotectonic origin. Its speleogenesis traces back to the withdrawal of the Laurentide Ice Sheet 13,000 years ago, during which the moving glacier dislocated the sedimentary rock layers. Our study is the first to investigate the microbial communities of the Saint-Leonard cave. By using amplicon sequencing, we analyzed the taxonomic diversity and composition of bacterial, archaeal and eukaryote communities living in the groundwater (0.1 µm- and 0.2 µm-filtered water), in the sediments and in surface soils. We identified a microbial biodiversity typical of cave ecosystems. Communities were mainly shaped by habitat type and harbored taxa associated with a wide variety of lifestyles and metabolic capacities. Although we found evidence of a geochemical connection between the above soils and the cave's galleries, our results suggest that the community assembly dynamics are driven by habitat selection rather than dispersal. Furthermore, we found that the cave's groundwater, in addition to being generally richer in microbial taxa than sediments, contained a considerable diversity of ultra-small bacteria and archaea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speleomantes are the only plethodontid salamanders present in Europe. Multiple studies have been performed to investigate the trophic niche of the eight Speleomantes species, but none of these studies included hybrid populations. For the first time, we studied the trophic niche of five Speleomantes hybrid populations. Each population was surveyed twice in 2020, and stomach flushing was performed on each captured salamander; stomach flushing is a harmless technique that allows stomach contents to be inspected. We also assessed the potential divergence in size and body condition between natural and introduced hybrids, and their parental species. Previously collected data on Speleomantes were included to increase the robustness of these analyses. In only 33 out of 134 sampled hybrid Speleomantes we recognized 81 items belonging to 11 prey categories. The frequency of empty stomachs was higher in females and individuals from natural hybrid populations, whereas the largest number of prey was consumed by males. We compared the total length and body condition of 685 adult salamanders belonging to three types of hybrids and three parental (sub)species. Three group of salamanders (one hybrid and two parental species) showed significantly larger size, whereas no difference in body condition was observed. This study provided novel ecological information on Speleomantes hybrid populations. We also provided insights into the potential divergence between hybrids and parental species in terms of size and body condition. We discuss our findings, and formulate several hypotheses that should be tested in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The study of an important collection of scorpions, belonging to the genus Chaerilus , recently collected from a cave in the Palawan Island, Philippines, allows the clarification of the identity of this population, often misidentified with Chaerilus chapmani Vachon & Lourenço, 1985 known from caves in the Gunong Mulu National Park in Sarawak (Borneo). Chaerilus agnellivanniorum sp. n. is described from the Puerto Princesa Underground River Cave in Palawan Island based on 14 specimens, males, females, and juveniles. The new species is totally distinct morphologically from Chaerilus chapmani , a true troglobitic species. Chaerilus agnellivanniorum sp. n. may also be a true troglobitic element, but with a less marked degree of regression for several characters. Some comments on the ecology of the new species and on regional biogeography of Borneo and Palawan islands are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The karstic cave Križna jama in the South Western part of Slovenia is one of the largest, well known and most beautiful Slovene water caves. The cave consists of more than 8 km of corridors with impressive halls, colossal dripstone formations, a subterranean river and numerous lakes. Considering the subterranean fauna, Križna jama has been identified amongst the richest caves in the world. So far, 60 troglobionts, the obligate subterranean species among them 32 aquatic and 28 terrestrial taxa have been recorded and documented. Križna jama has scientific importance, as well as ten subterranean taxa, which have been described based on specimens from this cave. Despite Križna jama is relatively well-studied, new recent unexpected findings are promising. Thus, further discoveries of specialized subterranean species in the cave are expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Ptychadenidae contains three ecologically and morphologically distinct genera: the widespread, species-rich and above-ground dwelling Ptychadena, the less widespread and diverse, burrowing Hildebrandtia, and the little-known, burrowing, monotypic Lanzarana, endemic to Somalia. Previous morphological studies placed Lanzarana in a sister position to Hildebrandtia and these two genera as sister to Ptychadena. However, our analyses of mitochondrial and multilocus nuclear DNA data revealed Lanzarana as a sister lineage to Ptychadena (divergence ∼28 Mya), and Hildebrandtia sister to them (∼42 Mya). This suggests that the common ancestor of ptychadenids may have exhibited a burrowing lifestyle similar to Hildebrandtia and Lanzarana, rather than the more active, above-ground lifestyle of Ptychadena. In addition, based upon analysis of available mitochondrial DNA data, we have identified major clades within the genus Ptychadena and propose them as four species groups, with the P. mascareniensis group being the first diverging lineage (∼20 Mya). We also report four new localities of Lanzarana largeni from central Somaliland, south-western Puntland, southern Somalia and south-eastern Ethiopia, extending the presently known range of the species westward. This represents the first official record of L. largeni from Ethiopia. An ecological niche model of L. largeni for present climatic conditions identifies extensive climatically highly suitable areas in central Somalia and south-eastern Ethiopia. A model for future climatic conditions estimates a substantial extension of climatically suitable areas to northern Somalia and north-eastern Kenya, likely due to predicted more humid conditions accompanying the increase of temperatures in the western Indian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually, biospeleological studies focus on cave-specialist taxa showing strong adaptation to the subterranean environment, as their unusual morphological and ecological features represent intriguing case studies. On the other hand, species occurring in subterranean environments but without marked adaptations have been generally overlooked, probably because they are thought to be accidental and not very important for the ecosystem. Particularly exemplificative is the case of Tipuloidea crane flies (Diptera), which although abundant, are rarely considered in biospeleological studies. Here, by analyzing the crane fly occupancy, we observed that individuals occur within the shallowest areas of subterranean environments throughout the year, with a peak of presence during hot season. Crane flies occupy dark and warm areas close to the connection with surface and with smoother walls. Furthermore, we observed that the presence of crane flies is positively related to the abundance and the richness of cave predators, highlighting their importance for the sustainment of the local community. With this study we aim to stimulate future researches on these important, but still neglected cave species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discipline of subterranean biology has provided us incredible information on the diversity, ecology and evolution of species living in different typologies of subterranean habitats. However, a general lack of information on the relationships between cave species still exists, leaving uncertainty regarding the dynamics that hold together cave communities and the roles of specific organisms (from the least to the most adapted species) for the community, as well as the entire ecosystem. This Special Issue aims to stimulate and gather studies which are focusing on cave communities belonging to all different typologies of subterranean habitats, with the overarching goal to corroborate the key role of the subterranean biology in ecological and evolutionary studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]