Biospeleology

Found in 1831 by Luka Čeč, an assistant to the lamplighter, when exploring the newly discovered inner portions of the Postojna cave system in southwestern Slovenia.

Subsequent research by Schmidt revealed further previously unknown cave inhabitants, which aroused considerable interest among natural historians.

For this reason, the discovery of L. hochenwartii (along with the olm) is considered as the starting point of biospeleology as a scientific discipline.

Among other discoveries Dudich is also responsible for the discovery of around 220 cavedwelling species, [8] realized that caves are not cohesive biotopes[9] and he was the first to classify cave ecosystems into groups: In 1930, he and his Hungarian co-researchers also disproved the then prominent theory that cave-dwelling creatures are subject to constant starvation.

These can be in regular contact with the surface via wind and underground rivers, or the migration of animals, or can be almost entirely isolated.

A 3D cross-section of the Lukina jama–Trojama cave system in the Velebit mountains of Croatia . The collection sites ( 1 ) of the shells and the single living specimen ( 2 ) of the cave-dwelling snail Zospeum tholussum are indicated. [ 1 ]
The spider Trogloraptor marchingtoni from a cave in Oregon .