Subterranean millipedes, some patterns and adaptations

Convergent Evolution of Unique Morphological Adaptations to a Subterranean Environment in Cave Millipedes (Diplopoda)

Animal life in caves has fascinated researchers and the public alike because of the unusual and sometimes bizarre morphological adaptations observed in numerous troglobitic species. Despite their worldwide diversity, the adaptations of cave millipedes (Diplopoda) to a troglobitic lifestyle have rarely been examined. In this study, morphological characters were analyzed in species belonging to f...

Convergent and divergent adaptations of subterranean rodents

Sensory Adaptations of Fishes to Subterranean Environments

Caves and other subterranean habitats represent one of the most challenging environments on the planet. Other than salamanders, bony fishes are the only vertebrate group that has successfully colonized and are completely restricted to those habitats. Despite being known to science for over 150 years, only recently have cavefishes become model systems for evolutionary studies. Several cavefishes...

Into the dark: patterns of middle ear adaptations in subterranean eulipotyphlan mammals

Evolution of the middle ear ossicles was a key innovation for mammals, enhancing the transmission of airborne sound. Radiation into various habitats from a terrestrial environment resulted in diversification of the auditory mechanisms among mammals. However, due to the paucity of phylogenetically controlled investigations, how middle ear traits have diversified with functional specialization re...

Sireuma, a new genus of subterranean millipedes from the Iberian Peninsula (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Opisthocheiridae).

A new genus Sireuma is described to accommodate a new species, S. nobile, from a cave in Portugal. The unique features of the male gonopods and the absence of a postvulvar organ support the creation of a new genus. The new species is illustrated with scanning electron micrographs and diagrammatic drawings. Differences vis-à-vis its relatives are discussed, and information on the environment in ...