Fauna of Arthropods Presents in Hot Caves in the Province of Villa Clara, Cuba

Authors: García RA, Duarte RF*, Gavilanes FEZ, Pat JAP, Iannacone J and Paz Gálvez EDL

DOI: 10.23880/izab-16000367

Volume 5, Issue 2

Abstract

A characterization of the arthropod fauna is carried out in two "hot caves" in the province of Villa Clara: Cave of the Maja’s, located in the town of Buenavista in the municipality of Remedios; and Cave of the Coloradas, located on a homonymous hill, in the town of Zulueta belonging to the municipality of Remedios. The arthropods were collected using conventional methods. In the hot room of the Cave of the Maja’s, the temperature fluctuates around 36°C and the relative humidity varies between 98 and 100%. In the final galleries of the Cave of the Coloradas, temperatures are moderately high (29- 4°C), with a relative humidity ranging from 70 to 85%, both caves are classified in the category of “heat caves”. Following the criteria of Armas and Alayón (1984), Ortuño (2011), based on the proposals of the Schiner - Racovitza system (Trajano and Carvalho, 2017), the species identified were classified into Troglobess, Troglophiless, and Trogloxens. Conclusions were drawn from the climatic and faunal points of view and warnings were made about the harm that these underground ecosystems are being subjected to, due to the anthropic action.

Keywords: Arthropofauna; Hot Caves; Hypogea; Thermal Trap; Villa Clara

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