Abstract
Located in the core zone of Mulun National Nature Reserve in northern Guangxi, the limestone cave Ganxiao Dong harbours the richest cave fauna currently known in China. In total, 26 species of cave invertebrates have been recognized so far, in spite of limited sampling efforts. Of them, 20 are troglobionts or stygobionts, including one snail, four millipedes, three spiders, one harvestman, three isopods, two springtails, two crickets, one non-glowing sticky worm, and three trechine beetles. Six other species are troglophiles. The most remarkable characteristic of this fauna is its high number of troglomorphic species, especially among millipedes, crickets and beetles.
Highlights
The World Heritage Property of South China Karst is a cluster of seven karsts, i.e., Shilin in Yunnan, Shibing and Maolan in Guizhou, Jinfoshan and Wulong in Chongqing, as well as Guilin and Huanjiang in Guangxi
The cave Ganxiao Dong is close to the provincial border between Guizhou and Guangxi (Figure 2A), in the core zone of the adjacent Maolan and Mulun National Nature Reserves, both World Natural Heritage Sites of South China Karst
The cave is located in the northwest of Xiazhai Village, Chuanshan Town, Huanjiang County (25◦10 57 N, 108◦01 55 E)
Summary
The World Heritage Property of South China Karst is a cluster of seven karsts, i.e., Shilin (stone forest) in Yunnan, Shibing and Maolan in Guizhou, Jinfoshan and Wulong in Chongqing, as well as Guilin and Huanjiang in Guangxi (https://whc.unesco.org/ en/list/1248/, accessed on 1 July 2021). XXu XXiiaakkee, tthhee fifirrssttkkaarrssttoollooggiisstt aanndd ccaavveerr ooffCChhiinnaa((11558877––11664411)),,eexxpplloorreeddoorrllooccaatteedd mmoorree tthhaann 227700 ccaavveess in Guangxxii. After this pioneering work, nothing signifificant was publliisshheedd oonn tthhee kkaarrsstt ooff CChhiinnaa ffoorr aabboouutt 330000 yyeeaarrss. South China (northern Guangxi and southern Guizhou) is the world hot-spot for cave Trechinae beetles, having recently overpassed the historical hotspots of the Pyrenees and Dinarides in the number of taxa and levels of troglomorphy [10] They are diversified in many genera and species, and all narrowly endemic, including the most impressive troglomorphic beetles known so far [10]. This cave has the richest cave fauna of the Mulun-Maolan karst and of China, according to the surveys we have conducted for 10 years, as well as Mulun being itself the richest region of China for subterranean fauna [1]
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