Movile Cave, in southeastern Romania, would not be the first of your holiday destinations: there is no light, the air is thick with poisonous gases and was cut off from the outside world for about 5.5 million years before its accidental discovery. in 1986.
However, life exists in Movile and scientists have identified the largest creature they have found so far. It is a troglobiont (or underground) centipede that has been named Cryptops speleorex, and grows up to 52 mm (2 inches) in length.
The discovery brings to 35 the number of unique endemic species in the cave and there are likely to be many more in this fascinating underground network, even if explorers can only endure about 5-6 hours in the caves each time. .
The “cave king” examines his dominion. (Mihai Baciu, GESS LAB, Mangalia)
“The centipede we have described is a venomous predator, by far the largest of the animals described above from this cave,” the researchers say. “Thinking about its higher rank in this underground system, we decided to name the species Cryptops speleorex, which can be translated as “king of the cave”. “
Other creatures that have been found so far in the depths of the mobile include water scorpions, leeches and small spiders. They all depend on the nutrients provided by the oxidation of gases, including methane and sulfur by bacteria.
It is the only ecosystem in the world that relies on this type of chemosynthesis, but the cave is also unusual in other ways. After being in complete darkness for millions of years, many of the creatures below are blind and completely colorless.
Some of the Movile Cave species can also be found outside its boundaries, however C. speleorex he is not one of them. The international team of scientists used DNA analysis to confirm that the centipede was indeed one that had never been seen before.
“Our results confirmed our doubts and revealed that the mobile centipede is morphologically and genetically different, suggesting that it has been evolving from its closest relative to the surface over millions of years to a completely different taxon. new that better adapts to the life of endless darkness, ”the researchers say.
Exploring the cave. (Mihai Baciu, GESS LAB, Mangalia)
With about half the normal level of oxygen in the air and abundant sulfides of hydrogen, methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide, trips to the Movile Cave should be short for researchers. It is also extremely humid in the cave.
Only a small number of researchers visit the underground network: it involves a 20-meter (66-foot) rope descent and then a lot of climbing through small spaces to get to the central cavern and swim through submerged canals to see any something beyond.
The trip is definitely worth it from a scientific point of view. Organisms that call the cave house can teach us a lot about how life survives in the harshest conditions, how it evolves in isolation, and even how it began on Earth.
For now, C. speleorex he is the king of the cave, but it may not be too long before a larger creature is seen in the depths of darkness.
After all, there is always a centipede bigger.
The research has been published in ZooKeys.