A review of 31 studies finds #cave #invertebrate chemical #ecology research is mostly descriptive (82%), biased toward beetles and Europe/Americas, while Africa has none. Functional/molecular approaches remain rare, especially in fully cave-adapted species.
Full review: doi.org/10.3897/subt...
doi.org
Chemical ecology in cave-dwelling invertebrates: research trends and knowledge gaps
Chemical cues are fundamental for orientation, communication, foraging, reproduction, and defense in subterranean environments, where permanent darkness increases reliance on non-visual sensory system...
