List of troglobites


A troglobite 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, and species that are only cave visitors. 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, and depigmentation. 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.
Not all cave dwelling species are considered to be troglobites. An animal found in an underground environment may be a troglophile or a trogloxene.

Flatworms

Mollusca

Bivalvia

Congeria jalzici Congeria kusceriCongeria mualomerovici

Gastropoda

Velvet worms

Arthropoda

Arachnida

Acontius stercoricolaAdelocosa anopsKauaʻi cave wolf spiderAnapistula Apneumonella Agraecina cristiani – Movile cave spiderAnopsolobus subterraneusAops oncodactylusBarrow Island cave scorpionApochthonius mysterius – Mystery cave pseudoscorpionApochthonius typhlusStone County cave pseudoscorpionBaiami Calicina cloughensisCharinus spelaeusChinquipellobunus madlaeChthonius Cicurina madla – Madla Cave meshweaverCybaeus Cybaeozyga heteropsCycloctenus Desognanops humphreysiDysderoides Gamasomorpha Herpyllus Hesperochernes occidentalis – guano pseudoscorpionHexathele cavernicolaHickmania troglodytesHongkongia Lycosa howarthiLygromma sp.Hormurus polisorumChristmas Island cave scorpionMaymena Mesostalita nocturnaMimetus strinatiiMundochthonius cavernicolus – cavernicolous pseudoscorpionNeobisium maritimumNukuhiva adamsoniOlin platnickiOssinissa justoiParobisium yosemite – Yosemite cave pseudoscorpionPhanetta subterraneaPhanotea Phyxelida makapanensisPorrhomma cavernicola – cavernicolous Porrhomma spiderPorrhomma rosenhaueriSinopoda scurion – Eyeless huntsman spiderSpelocteniza ashmoleiSpelungula cavernicolaNelson cave spiderStalita taenariaStiphidion Tartarus Telema Telemofila Tengella Texella reddelliTitanobochica magna – cave pseudoscorpionToxopsiella TrichopelmaTroglodiplura beirutpakbaraiTroglodiplura challeniTroglodiplura harrisiTroglodiplura lowryiTroglodiplura samankunaniTroglokhammouanus steineri – Xe Bang Fai cave scorpionTrogloneta Trogloraptor marchingtoniTroglotheleUsofila Vietbocap lao – Nam Lot cave scorpion

Myriapoda

;MillipedesCauseyella speciesChaetaspis aleyorum – Aleys' cave millipedeChersoiulus sphinxDesmoxytesMammamia profugaPolydesmus subterraneusSinocallipusTetracionTingupa pallidaTitanophyllum spiliarumTrichopetalum whiteiZosteractis interminata
;CentipedesCryptops speleorexEupolybothrus cavernicolusScolopocryptops troglocaudatusGeophilus hadesiGeophilus persephones
Symphylans

Crustacea

;Crayfish
;OthersAllocrangonyx hubrichti – Hubricht's long-tailed amphipodAlpioniscus strasseriAndhracoides gebaueriBelum cave isopodAndhracoides shabuddin– Guthikonda cave isopodAndroniscus dentigerrosy woodlouseBactrurus brachycaudus – short-tailed groundwater amphipodBactrurus hubrichti – sword-tail cave amphipodBactrurus pseudomucronatus – false sword-tailed cave amphipodBarburia yaneziCaecidotea antricola – cave isopodCaecidotea dimorpha – Missouri cave isopodCaecidotea fustis – Fustis cave isopodCaecidotea salemensis – Salem cave isopodCaecidotea serrata – serrated cave isopodCaecidotea stiladactyla – slender-fingered cave isopodCaecidotea stygia – stygian cave isopodCancrocaecaCerberusaChaceus caecusCyclops vernalisDiacyclops yeatmani – Yeatman's groundwater copepodDiyutamon cereumGammarus acherondytes – Illinois cave amphipodHoloped amazonicumLirceus usdagalunLee County cave isopodMacromaxillocarisMunidopsis polymorphaBlind albino cave crabNiphargus speciesOrcovita hickskiOrcovita orchardorumPalaemonias alabamaeAlabama cave shrimpPalaemonias ganteriKentucky cave shrimpPhasmon typhlopsSamarplax principeSpelaeorchestia koloanaSpeocirolanaStygiocarisStygobromus barri – Barr's cave amphipodStygobromus clantoni – Clanton's cave amphipodStygobromus heteropodusPickle Springs amphipodStygobromus onondagaensis – Onondaga cave amphipodStygobromus ozarkensis – Ozark cave amphipodStygobromus parvus – minute cave amphipodStygobromus subtilis – subtle cave amphipodTeretamon spelaeumTroglocarisTyphlatyaTyphlocarisTyphlocirolanaTyphlopseudothelphusaVillalobosius lopezformenti

Fish

Amphibians

Mammals

No known mammals 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.

Echinodermata

Asterinides sp.Copidaster cavernicola – Cozumel's cave sea star

Porifera

Eunapius subterraneus

Annelida

Erpobdella borisiErpobdella mestroviHaemopis caeca

In popular culture

There is a zombie named the Troglobite in Plants vs. Zombies 2.