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
evolutionaryadaptations 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
humidityreceptors. 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]
There are no known mammals that live exclusively in caves. Most
bats sleep in caves during the day and hunt at night, but they are considered
troglophiles or
trogloxenes. However some
fossorials which spend their whole lives underground might be considered subterranean
fauna, although they are not true troglofauna as they do not live in caves.
^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.
ISBN9780199219933.
OCLC248538645.
^Tsurnamal, M. (2008). "A new species of the stygobiotic blind prawn Typhlocaris Calman, 1909 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae, Typhlocaridinae) from Israel". Crustaceana. 81 (4): 487–501.
doi:
10.1163/156854008783797534.