Three New Arthropod Species Discovered in Maestrazgo Caves in Spain
Posted on November 27, 2012
Three new arthropod species have been discovered in the Maestrazgo Caves in Teruel, Spain. The arthropods were discovered by scientists from the University of Navarra and the Catalan Association of Biospeleology. The caves are located in an isolated region of the Iberian Range. The climate outside the caves can be very cold, which temperatures as low as -40º Celsius. However, the temperature inside the caves remains constant between 5º Celsius and 11º Celsius.
Enrique Baquero, who carried out a taxonomic study along with Rafael Jordana, (both from the University of Navarra), said in a statement, "Studying fauna in the caves allows us to expand on our knowledge of biodiversity. In the case of the three new collembolan species that we have found in Teruel, they are organisms that have survived totally isolated for thousands of years. Having 'relatives' on the surface means they act like relics from the past that have survived the climate change taken place on the outside of the caves."
The scientists say the three new species of collembolan are from the hexapod group (which means six legs). The hexapod group is more primitive than insects. They lack wings and tend to have a springing organ on the abdomen (the furca), which enables them to quickly spring away from danger.
The three new caves species have been named Pygmarrhopalites maestrazgoensis, P. cantavetulae and Oncopodura fadriquei. Pygmarrhopalites maestrazgoensis is pictured above. The new arthropods are described in a research paper published Zootaxa.