The caves of South Korea harbour a secret: they are crawling with species just waiting to be discovered. When Kyung–Hoon Jeong — a researcher at Jeonbuk National University — explored the caves, he found new species in almost every one he visited.
The four new species that Jeong and his team discovered are rather out of the ordinary: they are from the dragon pseudoscorpion (or Pseudotyrannochthoniidae) family.
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Dragon pseudoscorpions
Dragon pseudoscorpions are small arthropods – usually around 1-3mm long – which have (relatively) gigantic ‘jaws’. “These resemble the jaws of dragons in ancient mythology,” Kyung-Hoon Jeong tells BBC Wildlife.
Technically known as chelicerae, these dragon-like mouthparts are used to capture prey.
But, perhaps surprisingly for a critter named for its dragon-like features, the four newly discovered cave-dwelling species are completely blind. Given that they never see the light of day, they have no need for eyesight.
The same is true for pigmentation. As with many cave-dwelling animals, these species are very pale. This is because, inside their pitch-black underground homes, there is no evolutionary pressure to have sun-protective pigments or camouflage.
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While these four newly discovered species are likely endemic to the South Korean caves in which they were found, dragon-like pseudoscorpions are not unique to South Korea. One of the oldest branches of the pseudoscorpion family, species of dragon-like pseudoscorpions can be found on all continents except Antarctica.
What is unique to South Korea is the fact that many of the country’s caves remain unexplored. There are more than 1,000 caves, and many of these are likely to harbour new species of pseudoscorpion, along with other cave-adapted critters.
Unfortunately, South Korea’s cave habitats are at risk from climate change, development and tourism. To conserve the weird and wonderful dragon-like pseudoscorpions currently scuttling around in them, as well as other cave-dwelling animals, the authors say the caves’ biodiversity must be better understood. So, scientists will carry on climbing into caves and sampling the strange creatures within, with the hope that greater knowledge of the diversity within these caves will lead to better protections.
Many discoveries still await – perhaps some even stranger than these tiny, pale and blind critters with dragon-like jaws. If that’s possible.
Top image: cave (not one of the caves mentioned in the study). Credit: Getty
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