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] Land-dwelling troglobites may be referred to as troglofauna, while aquatic species may be called stygofauna, although for these animals the term stygobite is preferable.
Troglobites typically have evolutionary adaptations to cave life. Examples of such adaptations include slow metabolism, reduced energy consumption, better food usage efficiency, decrease or loss of eyesight (anophthalmia), and depigmentation (absence of pigment in the integument). Conversely, as opposed to lost or reduced functions, many species have evolved elongated antenna and locomotory appendages, in order to better move around and respond to environmental stimuli. These structures are also full of chemical, tactile and humidity receptors. Troglobites commonly do not survive well outside caves and therefore cannot travel between separate cave systems. As a result, many troglobiotic species are endemic to a single cave or system of caves.[2][3][4][5]
Not all cave dwelling species are considered to be troglobites. An animal found in an underground environment may be a troglophile (a species living both in subterranean and in epigean habitats, e.g. bats and cave swallows) or a trogloxene (a species only occurring sporadically in a hypogean habitat and unable to establish a subterranean population).[1]
^ abSket, Boris (2008-06-01). "Can we agree on an ecological classification of subterranean animals?". Journal of Natural History. 42 (21–22): 1549–1563. doi:10.1080/00222930801995762. ISSN 0022-2933. S2CID 84499383.
^Vandel, Albert (1965). Biospeleology: the biology of cavernicolous animals. Oxford: Pergamon Press. ISBN 9781483185132. OCLC 893738507.
^Stoch, Fabio (2001). Caves and karstic phenomena. Life in subterranean world(PDF). Italian Habitats. Udine, Italy: Italian Ministry of the Environment and Territory Protection and Friuli Museum of Natural History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-04. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
^Culver, D.C.; Pipan, Tanja (2009). The biology of caves and other subterranean habitats. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199219933. OCLC 248538645.
^Culver, D.C.; White, W.B. (2012). Encyclopedia of caves (2nd ed.). Waltham, MA: Elsevier/Academic Press. ISBN 9780123838322. OCLC 776633368.
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for most troglobites. There are some 7,700 species oftroglobites, but this is probably only a small portion of the population because most of them have...
stygoxenes). Of these animals, the troglobites are perhaps the most unusual organisms. Troglobitic species often show a number of characteristics, termed troglomorphic...
longest caves in the world. The plain is home to five of the 27 reported species oftroglobites in Florida and South Georgia including Woodville Karst...
The Kentucky cave shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri) is an eyeless, troglobite shrimp. It lives in caves in Barren County, Edmonson County, Hart County and Warren...
are likely comparable to other troglobites. Reproduction occurs in late winter and spring months for other troglobites. Reproduction occurs in those months...
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(colloquially known as cavefish) and other troglobite organisms are adapted to life in subterranean rivers and lakes. Examples of subterranean rivers also occur in...
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can be made about regular periods of dormancy or activity for R. infernalis. However, it is believed that troglobites such as R. infernalis can go long...
Scoliopteryx libatrix and Triphosa dubitata, and the fly Limonia nubeculosa. Troglobites include the woodlouse Androniscus stygius, the spiders Stalita taenaria...
of activity of adults is still unknown. As usual in troglobites, environmental stability and the absence of sunlight have brought about the loss of circadian...
County. It is a troglobite, an animal which spends its entire life in caves. It is one of nine Bexar County troglobites which were listed as endangered...
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