Tartarus Cave - Dark Zone
Trip Date: 2024-04-20
Bobby's Grotto
On the way to Bobby's Grotto, I walked across the burnt area. There is a boulder filled depression that needs further investigation. Water disappears through the sand into a boulder choke.
Someone has left a bundle of clothes in the cave, and probably sleep there. There was much less life than I expected.
Tartarus
In the debris, in the twilight zone, near the cave entrance, the centipede, and Cryptadaeum were my favourite finds. The centipede was really speedy, and difficult to catch. There were three Cryptadaeum, all of which were on rotting wood.
In the dark zone of the cave, I found three Styloniscus. They all emerged from rotting wood lying in the stream. One Styloniscus tried to escape from me by running down the passage wall into the water. It stayed underwater for about 2 minutes, before climbing out again.
Little Tartarus
I had a look into the entrance of the cave. A large boulder in the entrance makes entry difficult, so I did not go into the cave.
Sarcophagus Cave
I popped in to the cave to look for bristletails. I found two young ones in the high level entrance. Same 10 square cm as last time.
Paramelita Cave
On the way back to the path, I found a resurgence with a very shallow stream. The underside of rocks in the stream were covered with paramelita. Lots of different shapes and sizes.
Observações
Fotos / Sons
What
Izithunzi capenseObservador
peterswartDescrição
This spider was in a messy web at the end of a cul-de-sac passage under a boulder. The spider retreated into the back of the boulder pile when the camera touched its web.
Fotos / Sons
What
Malaika longipesObservador
peterswartDescrição
These spiders are usually upside down hanging under their messy webs. the webs are usually low down and often on a piece of wood resting on the floor.
Fotos / Sons
What
Paramelita capensisObservador
peterswartDescrição
This is a very short cave passage with water still flowing out of it in at the end of April. The water was only a few millimeters deep, and the amphipods were under rocks lying in the water. When lifted, the rocks were covered in a mass of Paramelita. This one appears to be P.capensis. Length 12mm, A1:31 articles, notched coxa 4.
Fotos / Sons
What
Paramelita barnardiObservador
peterswartDescrição
This Paramelita was found under the same rock as https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/208540596. This could be a juv P.capensis or P.barnardi. The stream in this cave comes from the same general area as Tartarus Cave, and both P.capensis and P.barnardi are recorded from Tartarus. I'm going with P.barnardi based on number of articles in A1 & A2
Fotos / Sons
What
Género MachiloidesObservador
peterswartDescrição
These two were in the same place as https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202522265. Approx 1m outside the drip line of the cave entrance. The bristletails were in a recess on the wall of the 1.5m wide crack that leads to the cave entrance. Not sure of the gender of either. I could not see an ovipositor, nor could I see the spurs on the maxillipalps.
Fotos / Sons
What
Malaika longipesObservador
peterswartDescrição
8mm long head/body. These spiders usually hang under a messy web close to the cave floor. At least part of the web is usually on a rotting log.
Fotos / Sons
What
Género PhanoteaObservador
peterswartDescrição
When I moved a rock embedded in the sandy floor, this spider ran out. It was probably next to, or on the rock, not under it. This was at the very bottom of the cave.
Fotos / Sons
What
Styloniscus tabulaeObservador
peterswartDescrição
The stream that runs through the cave runs through a narrow channel in the floor. In part, the channel is full of rotting wood. This bug emerged from the rotting wood and walked along the wall next to the stream. When I tried to maneuver it into a better position for a photograph, it initially tried to hide in a crevice. When that did not work, it ran down the cave wall into the stream and stayed under the water for about 2 minutes before emerging. Another larger version of the same isopod species ran past while I was trying to photograph this one.
Fotos / Sons
What
Género RhinolophusObservador
peterswartDescrição
This was the only bat that I saw during the 3 hours I spent in the cave. It was roosting in one of the many recesses in the ceiling. It was aware of my presence but did not fly off, even though I climbed up the wall to within about 2m of it.
Fotos / Sons
What
Spelaeiacris tabulaeObservador
peterswartDescrição
There were lots of cave crickets through out the cave, from the twilight zone deep into the darkest part of the cave. about 20% were very small.
Fotos / Sons
What
Género ParalamyctesObservador
peterswartDescrição
This centipede ran out from under a rock when I lifted the rock. It moved very quickly.
Fotos / Sons
What
Cryptadaeum capenseObservador
peterswartDescrição
There were 3 of these on rotting logs near the cave entrance. The tips of the legs are much lighter than the rest of the animal.
Fotos / Sons
What
Cryptadaeum capenseObservador
peterswartDescrição
Found on a rotting log next to previous observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/208572914
Fotos / Sons
What
Género StyloniscusObservador
peterswartDescrição
Little isopod, 3mm on rotting wood
Fotos / Sons
What
Ordem TricladidaObservador
peterswartDescrição
It appears that this planarian ate at least one and possibly two other planaria. Look at the full sequence of pictures.
Fotos / Sons
What
Género ParamelitaObservador
peterswartDescrição
Found in the stream in the entrance passage of the cave, quite close to the entrance, but in the dark.
Comentários
Adicionar um Comentário