# Trogloxene

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Animals which inhabit caves periodically or accidentally

**Trogloxenes** or **subtroglophiles**, also called **cave guests**, are animal [species](/source/Species) which periodically live in underground habitats such as caves or at the very entrance, but cannot live exclusively in such habitats.[1][2] Among many scientists, trogloxenes and subtroglophile have slightly different but closely related meanings, with the former covering species that are occasional visitors to underground habitat and the latter species that live more permanently there, but have to go outside (for example, to find food).[2] Both these are in contrast to [troglobites](/source/Troglobite), which strictly live in underground habitats.[2]

Examples of trogloxene/subtroglophile species are bats, rats, [raccoons](/source/Raccoon) and some [opiliones](/source/Opiliones) (this last group also has fully troglobitic species). Several extinct trogloxenes are known like [cave bears](/source/Cave_bear), [cave lions](/source/Panthera_spelaea), [cave leopards](/source/European_Ice_Age_leopard), and [cave hyenas](/source/Cave_hyena). Indications trusted by geologists and archaeologists combine to show that these animals lived there in the latter part, at least, of the third [interglacial](/source/Interglacial) epoch, and on through the fourth and [last glacial advance](/source/Last_Glacial_Maximum), when, although central Europe was free from an ice cap, an almost Arctic climate prevailed, with much rain. This is what is known as the [Upper Paleolithic](/source/Upper_Paleolithic) when humanity in Europe was represented by the [Neanderthals](/source/Neanderthals).[3] During the Upper Paleolithic, many carnivores gradually adapted by increased fur and resorting far more than previously to the shelter of caves. The cave bear (*Ursus spelaeus*) was the most habitual in its use of caves, and occupied caves before humans began to do so.[3]

The name Trogloxene comes from Greek, *Troglos* meaning cave and *Xenos* guest*.*[4]

## See also

- [Stygofauna](/source/Stygofauna)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** "Cave Plants and Animals". 9 December <["Cave Plants and Animals"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100105202046/http://ans.latech.edu/homes/wakeman/caves/cavelife.html). Archived from [the original](http://ans.latech.edu/homes/wakeman/caves/cavelife.html) on 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-12-25.>

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Sket2008_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Sket2008_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Sket2008_2-2) Sket, Boris (2008). "Can we agree on an ecological classification of subterranean animals?". *Journal of Natural History*. **42** (21–22): 1549–1563. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/00222930801995762](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F00222930801995762). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0022-2933](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0022-2933). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [84499383](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:84499383).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ea_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ea_3-1) This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Ingersoll, Ernest](/source/Ernest_Ingersoll) (1920). ["Cave Animals"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Encyclopedia_Americana_(1920)/Cave_Animals). In Rines, George Edwin (ed.). *[Encyclopedia Americana](/source/Encyclopedia_Americana)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["How Cave Biology Works"](https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/biology-fields/cave-biology.htm). *HowStuffWorks*. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2024-04-18.

v t e Cave topics Deepest caves Glossary List of caves show caves Longest caves by country Outline of caves Main topics Biospeleology Cave conservation Cave dweller Cave gate Cave painting Cave survey Caving Diving Organizations Caving equipment Fauna Stygofauna Troglobites Troglofauna Trogloxene Karst Speleogenesis Speleology Types and formation processes Anchihaline cave Breathing cave Cave-in Cenote Estavelle/Inversac Foiba Glacier cave Ice cave Karst spring Lava cave Pit cave Ponor Salt cave Sea cave Solutional cave Show cave Sinkhole Spring Suffosion Sump Talus cave Underground Lake River Waterfall Speleothems and Speleogens (Cave formations) Anthodite Boxwork Calcite rafts Cave pearl Cave popcorn Conulite Dogtooth spar Flowstone Frostwork Helictite Moonmilk Rimstone Shelfstone Snottite Soda straw Speleoseismite Stalactite Stalagmite Stalagnate Popular culture Ben's Vortex Cave of Forgotten Dreams Diving into the Unknown The Underground Eiger Incidents Cave rescue List of UK caving fatalities List of U.S. caving fatalities Alpazat cave rescue Riesending Cave rescue Tham Luang cave rescue Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Trogloxene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trogloxene) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trogloxene?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.