EXPLORATIONS SPÉLÉOLOGIQUES EN RÉPUBLIQUE ...

may have been overlooked in the other caves. The
specimens are still awaiting identification.
Photo 61 - Isopode (© H. Steiner)
Insectes
A wide range of insects are found in the caves of the
Xe Bang Fai area, as in all caves of Laos. They
comprise different beetles, earwigs, cockroaches, flies,
mosquitoes, mayflies, assassin bugs, ants, moth and
crickets. With the exception of the cockroaches, none
of them have been identified so far. A character species
of all Lao caves, and thus of special interest, are the
cave crickets. They are found in almost every cave,
most probably feed on fungus growing on guano and
all other organic material, and we suppose that they
constitute the main prey of all larger predators. Their
taxonomy is currently studied at the Russian Academy
of Science at St. Petersburg. They probably belong to
the genus Diestrammena, and some new species may
be expected.
Photo 62 – Criquet cavernicole (© H. Steiner)
Moth larvae of the family Tineidae in caves are usually
associated with guano. The larvae build cases as a
shelter, which indicate their presence even after the
larvae itself is gone. Larval cases were found in guano
samples of Tham Pha Leusi, the only cave with larger
assemblages of bat guano.
The presence of mayflies (order Ephemeroptera) in
large numbers are quite unique to Tham Xe Bang Fai.
They were common in the midsection of the river
tunnel, were they were readily attracted by the caver’s
light. Whether their larvae are simply washed into the
cave by the river, or whether this is a specific
phenomenon, whether they are doomed in the cave or
able to complete their life cycle is not known.
Blattes
Rhabdoblatta memnonia ANISYUTKIN 2009 (Fam.
Blaberidae)
A cockroach collected at Tham Pheung, together with
specimens from Vietnam, has been described as a new
species. The Vietnamese specimens have been
collected in the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, a
karst area renown for its caves, but no habitat has been
stated for these.
Photo 63 - Cafard cavernicole - Tham Pheung (© H.
Steiner)
The subfamily Epilamprinae is the most diverse group
of the family Blaberidae in South-East Asia. This
region is still insufficiently known and new taxa can be
expected from there.
Ergaula sp. (Fam. Polyphagidae)
Cockroaches of the genus Ergaula were found
burrowing in the guano of Tham Pha Leusi, at places in
large numbers. Species of this genus have been found
in guano in caves of Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
Araignées
Large huntsman spiders of the genus Heteropoda are
on of the charakter species of Lao caves. They are
found more or less in every cave which offers some
dark and damp places. To date, 4 different species have
been identified from Lao caves. The Xe Bang Fai area
caves are unique in Laos for harbouring two sympatric
species.
Heteropoda maxima JÄGER 2001 (Fam. Sparassidae).
This is the common Heteropoda of Khammouan,
probably found in nearly every cave of the province.
The first time collected in 1930 by the famous French
archaeologist Madeleine Colani, it was only described
in 2001. With a male leg span of up to 30 cm, it
Xé Bang Fai - Laos Central 2007-2008 - Rapport d'activité Page 59