La fauna aquàtica dels hàbitats anquihalins i dolçaquícoles de les cavitats balears
[eng] This paper discusses the aquatic troglobiontic taxa discovered mostly since 1987 in the Balearic Islands, with some brief comments, if appropriate, on its general distribution pattern. At the same time, some mention is made about species from the interstitial environment. The...
| Autores: | , |
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| Formato: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2011 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Universidad de las Islas Baleares |
| Repositorio: | Biblioteca Digital de les Illes Balears |
| OAI Identifier: | endins:Endins_2011v35p257 |
| Acesso em linha: | http://ibdigital.uib.es/greenstone/sites/oai-site/collect/endins/index/assoc/Endins_2/011v35p2/57.dir/Endins_2011v35p257.pdf http://ibdigital.uib.es/greenstone/library/collection/endins/document/Endins_2011v35p257 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palavra-chave: | Biospeleology Spain Baleric Islands Cave faune Spain Balearic Islands |
| Resumo: | [eng] This paper discusses the aquatic troglobiontic taxa discovered mostly since 1987 in the Balearic Islands, with some brief comments, if appropriate, on its general distribution pattern. At the same time, some mention is made about species from the interstitial environment. The last two decades have represented a qualitative leap in the knowledge of the aquatic fauna from the coastal caves of the Balearic Islands, thanks to advances in taxonomy conducted by two local renowned zoologists: Damià Jaume and Joan Lluís Pretus. The description of numerous endemic species, including thalasso-stygobiontic organisms (marine aquatic troglobionts), has experienced a really remarkable growth. The task of speleo-divers, exploring the underwater caves of the archipelago, has allowed the discovery of completely drowned underground systems with huge and unexpected dimensions. In this manner, the faunistic researches have not been limited to the cave pools, but also to underwater passages whose depths exceed 30 m, developing even kilometres away from the cave entrances. The main contribution, besides the discovery of some new genus and species, has been exploring, surveying and studying these habitats. Groundwaters, either occupying the marine interstitial environment or located inland and accessible only by caves and wells, as well as those in river-beds and floodplains (hyporheic environment) tend, by their relative isolation, to host a large number of endemic species. A lot of them belong to primitive lineages, often unknown at the surface, and they should be considered as phylogenetic or biogeographic relics. It is, therefore, an extremely relevant fauna both from the scientific point of view as well as regarding conservation. Finally, the faunistic register from anchialine and freshwater cavehabitats of the Balearic Islands is presented, together with the inventory of strictly subterranean species of crustaceans. |
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