Creatures That Live In Caves

Creatures That Live In Caves
By: Cave Spelunking

The creatures who live in caves are divided into four categories. There are troglobites, trogloxenes, trogolophiles, and incidentals...

Some creatures live their entire lives inside dark and sunless caves. They never see the light of day. As a matter of fact, many of these creatures are so acclimated to living without sunlight that sunlight would kill them. They're called "troglobites." Troglobites include the blind Texas salamander, blind flatworms, eyeless shrimp, eyeless fish, cave beetles, cave crayfish and some bristletails, isopods, and copepods.

Trogloxenes are creatures that live part of their lives in caves, but also go outside of caves to complete their life cycle. Some examples of trogloxenes are animals that sleep only in caves, like bats; or animals that nest only in caves, like packrats; or like cave crickets, who live inside the cave but eat outside the cave. Gnats and flies are also trogloxenes.

Trogolophiles are creatures that sometimes live in caves but sometimes live in other places. It isn't necessary for trogolophiles to leave a cave or go into a cave because they need to do either. Trogolophiles simply choose to live in caves sometimes. Some trogolophiles are cave crickets, cave beetles, salamanders, millipedes, snails, copepods, segmented worms, mites, some spiders, and daddy longlegs.

Incidentals are us. Human beings are considered incidentals. Incidentals are creatures that occasionally visit caves but don't live in caves. Frogs and raccoons, for example, sometimes visit caves. Humans also sometimes visit caves.

Various types of creatures live in various parts of a cave. There are three cave zones: the entrance zone, the twilight zone and the dark zone.

The entrance zone (some light) is home to rats, spiders, beetles, earthworms, salamanders, snakes, millipedes, and any other creature seeking shelter.

The twilight zone (less light) is home to cave crickets and cave beetles.

The dark zone (no light) is home to blind crayfish, eyeless shrimp, and other creatures that are totally adapted to life without light.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.