Post by L Roebuck on Mar 19, 2008 6:37:13 GMT -5
Cave life forms could give clues to sea
By Amber Tull and Glenn Burnett
The Daily News
GALVESTON — Dr. Thomas Iliffe of Texas A&M at Galveston, who specializes in cave biology, has discovered more than 250 new species of marine cave-dwelling animals in his years exploring underwater caves around the world. Because he is a pioneer in his field, most papers in his discipline are either authored by him or cite his work.
Of special interest to him are inland, anchialine (from Greek, literally “near the sea”) and offshore, marine caves. Anchialine caves, called blue holes in the Bahamas and cenotes in Mexico, are on land near the coast, but still have fully marine waters at depth.
Some, like those he explored on the Yucatán Peninsula, contain creatures that date back to before the meteor impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Originating in the sea, ancestors of today’s cave species colonized subterranean systems and were then cut off from their parent populations.
Article
By Amber Tull and Glenn Burnett
The Daily News
GALVESTON — Dr. Thomas Iliffe of Texas A&M at Galveston, who specializes in cave biology, has discovered more than 250 new species of marine cave-dwelling animals in his years exploring underwater caves around the world. Because he is a pioneer in his field, most papers in his discipline are either authored by him or cite his work.
Of special interest to him are inland, anchialine (from Greek, literally “near the sea”) and offshore, marine caves. Anchialine caves, called blue holes in the Bahamas and cenotes in Mexico, are on land near the coast, but still have fully marine waters at depth.
Some, like those he explored on the Yucatán Peninsula, contain creatures that date back to before the meteor impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Originating in the sea, ancestors of today’s cave species colonized subterranean systems and were then cut off from their parent populations.
Article
