Troglofauna

The term Troglofauna covers the range of terrestrial invertebrates specifically adapted to inhabit the perpetual darkness of all types of caves from limestone caves to lava tubes. Cave environments are characterised by humid micro–environments even within the desert regions of Australia. Cave communities typically contain many short range endemic invertebrate species that often occur only in one cave system. The groups often found include Arachnids (spiders, scorpions, pseudoscorpions), centipedes and millipedes, insects such as
glow–worms, beetles, cockroaches, springtails and booklice, as well crustaceans such isopods (slaters) and amphipods (leaf or sand hoppers). They can be found in many habits including the walls, under rocks, in cracks and cavities in the cave systems and are often specific to a specialised niche.

"We recommend that all development applications and EIS adopt the WA protocols for sampling Troglofauna, as assessments will be consistent with those in other states."