The Tooth Cave spider, formerly Neoleptoneta myopica, now Tayshaneta myopica, is a 1.6 mm long spider in the family Leptonetidae. It is endemic to limestone caves near Austin, Texas in the United States and is considered an endangered species.
Troglofauna are small cave-dwelling animals that have adapted to their dark surroundings. Troglofauna and stygofauna are the two types of subterranean fauna. Both are associated with subterranean environments – troglofauna are associated with caves and spaces above the water table and stygofauna with water. Troglofaunal species include spiders, insects, myriapods and others. Some troglofauna live permanently underground and cannot survive outside the cave environment. Troglofauna adaptations and characteristics include a heightened sense of hearing, touch and smell. Loss of under-used senses is apparent in the lack of pigmentation as well as eyesight in most troglofauna. Troglofauna insects may exhibit a lack of wings and longer appendages.
The Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle is a small mold beetle.
First opened to the public in October, 2005, Government Canyon State Natural Area (GCSNA) preserves 12,244 acres of rugged hills and canyons typical of the Texas Hill Country. It is designated a Natural Area, rather than a State Park, and therefore the primary focus is maintenance and protection of the property's natural state. Accordingly, access and recreational activities may be restricted if the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) deems such action necessary to protect the environment.
The Cokendolpher cave harvestman, Texella cokendolpheri, is a species of cave-living harvestman native to Bexar County, Texas. The original common name, the Robber Baron Cave harvestman, stemmed from the cave which the harvestman inhabits. The scientific name and the current common name honor the prominent arachnologist, James Cokendolpher, who identified the species. T. cokendolpheri is one of twenty-eight species within the North American harvestman genus Texella. The first formal description of the harvestman took place in 1992 and the species’ listing under the Endangered Species Act followed eight years later. Current threats to the species include habitat loss and interactions with invasive fire ants.
Cicurina vespera is a rare species of spider in the family Dictynidae known by the common name Government Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver. It is endemic to Texas in the United States, where it is known from only one cave in Bexar County. This is one of nine invertebrates endemic to the karst caves of Bexar County that were federally listed as endangered species in the year 2000.
Cicurina baronia is a rare species of spider in the family Hahniidae known by the common name Robber Baron cave meshweaver. The species is endemic to the San Antonio, Texas area of the United States. It is one of nine species deemed the Bexar County Invertebrates, as all nine are found in similar cave environments in the central region of Texas. These species range in size from one millimetre to one centimetre. They are also eyeless or essentially eyeless and pale in coloration.
Trogloraptor is a genus of large spiders found in the caves of southwestern Oregon. It is the sole genus in the family Trogloraptoridae, and includes only one species, Trogloraptor marchingtoni. These spiders are predominantly yellow-brown in color with a maximum leg span of 3 in (7.6 cm). They are remarkable for having hook-like claws on the raptorial last segments of their legs.
Subterranean fauna refers to animal species that are adapted to live in an underground environment. Troglofauna and stygofauna are the two types of subterranean fauna. Both are associated with hypogeal habitats – troglofauna is associated with terrestrial subterranean environment, and stygofauna with all kind of subterranean waters.
Cicurina, also called the cave meshweaver, is a genus of dwarf sheet spiders that was first described by Anton Menge in 1871. Originally placed with the funnel weavers, it was moved to the Dictynidae in 1967, then to the Hahniidae in 2017. The name is from the Latin root "cucur-", meaning "to tame".
Pseudicius sengwaensis is a species of jumping spider in the genus Pseudicius that lives in Zimbabwe. It is found in the Sengwa Wildlife Research Area, after which it is named. The spider was first described in 2011 by Wanda Wesołowska and Meg Cumming. The female has not been identified. The species is very similar to Afraflacilla venustula, including a the pattern on the abdomen. It is a small spider, with a cephalothorax that is typically 1.8 mm (0.071 in) long and an abdomen typically 2.3 mm (0.091 in) long. It can be most easily distinguished from other members of the genus by its copulatory organs. The palpal bulb has a distinctive irregular shape, as is the embolus base.
Pseudicius flabellus is a species of jumping spider in the genus Pseudicius that is endemic to South Africa. The spider was first defined in 2013 by Wanda Wesołowska and Charles Haddad. It has a genus name that is derived from two Greek words meaning false and honest and a species name that is a Latin word for fan that recalls the shape of the male's palpal tibial apophysis. The spider is small, with a cephalothorax typically 2.0 mm (0.079 in) long and an abdomen typically 2.3 mm (0.091 in) long. It is generally brown in colour, with an indistinct lighter streak down the middle, and greyish-yellow legs. It is similar to the related Pseudicius dentatus, differing in the shape of its copulatory organs. The male has a distinctive fan-like tibial apophysis and an embolus that has a broad base and narrow tip.The female has not been described.
Grotta Regina del Carso is a Karst cave in the village of San Michele del Carso in the municipality of Savogna d'Isonzo. The cave is not open to public, and the access is managed by Talpe del Carso/Kraški Krti speleological group, headquartered in the vicinity of the entrance.
Rhadine infernalis is a species of troglobitic beetle of the family Carabidae. They are endemic to the county of Bexar, Texas. Within this county, R. infernalis has been found in 39 caves. There are 2 named subspecies of R. infernalis: R. infernalis infernalis and R. infernalis ewersi. There is a third possible subspecies that has not been officially described. R. infernalis was classified in 2000 as endangered under the IUCN Endangered Species Act of 1973, along with 8 other karst invertebrates in the same region. It has the widest known range of the endangered karst invertebrates.
Tayshaneta microps, synonym Neoleptoneta microps, is a rare species of spider in the family Leptonetidae known by the common name Government Canyon bat cave spider. It is endemic to Texas in the United States, where it is known to be found in two caves in Bexar County. It is a troglobite, an animal which spends its entire life in caves. It is one of nine Bexar County troglobites which were listed as endangered species in 2000.
The Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion(Tartarocreagris texana) is a small cave-dwelling arachnid of the family Neobisiidae. The species was originally assigned to the genus Microcreagris, and then reassigned to Austalillocregris before arriving at its current genus, Tartarocreagris. The Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion has a small geographic distribution, known to occur in only two caves in Travis County, Texas. Additionally, it is tentatively identified in two nearby caves in Texas, but more research is necessary to accurately define the range where the species lives. There is little known about the biology, life cycle, and life history of the Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion due to a lack of research and study. Because of this, the Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion is listed on the IUCN Red List as data deficient. Under the Endangered Species Act, the Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion is listed as endangered. Recovery plans for the species focus mostly on preserving the karst ecosystem that the pseudoscorpions live in, especially including lessening human impacts on the environment.
Batrisodes venyivi, also known as Helotes mold beetle, is an eyeless beetle in the family Staphylinidae. They are found exclusively in the dark zones of caves in the Southwest region of Texas. More specifically, they have been found in eight caves throughout Bexar County, Texas. Similar species include the eight other Bexar County invertebrates, such as Rhadine exilis or Rhadine infernalis. All nine of these species are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Despite the efforts of a small number of researchers, the logistical challenges of accessing this habitat greatly limit the amount and type of information. Very little is known of the species’ behavior, population trends, or general ecology.
Pseudicius procerus is a species of jumping spider in the genus Pseudicius that ilves in South Africa. The spider was first defined in 2018 by Wanda Wesołowska and Charles Haddad. The spider is small, with a cephalothorax between 1.6 and 2.0 mm long and an abdomen between 1.8 and 2.04 mm long. It is dark brown with a distinctive pattern on the abdomen. The male has a lattice-like design of white stripes and the female has three stripes, the rearmost broken in chevrons. The male has stout brown legs while the female has whitish-yellow, except the front legs, which are dark brown, longer and thicker. The species is similar to the related Pseudicius matabelensis but differs in its copulatory organs. The female has two pockets at the front of the epigyne and long seminal ducts leading to elongated spermathecae. The male has a very long curved tibial apophysis, or spike, and a medium-sized embolus that is attached to the tegulum.
