Insecta: Coleoptera: Figure 2. Morphological changes between a soil-adapted Trechus and a cave-adapted Hydraphaenops Carabidae: Trechinae. 1. no eyes; 2. long antennae; 3. long legs; 4. long trichobotria (conical protuberances with sensory hairs); 5. depigmented; 6. modified body shape; 7. increase in the area able to be examined by the antennae (after Casale et al., 1998).

doi:10.4324/9780203483855-245

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Insecta: Coleoptera: Figure 2. Morphological changes between a soil-adapted Trechus and a cave-adapted Hydraphaenops Carabidae: Trechinae. 1. no eyes; 2. long antennae; 3. long legs; 4. long trichobotria (conical protuberances with sensory hairs); 5. depigmented; 6. modified body shape; 7. increase in the area able to be examined by the antennae (after Casale et al., 1998).

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ABSTRACT

Sensitivity to air dryness: An increase of transpiration through the integument and a decreased lifespan in dry air in one specialized species of Aphaenops, is recorded.

Circadian rhythms: Progressive disappearance of circadian locomotory activity is recorded in the transition from troglophilic species with more or less reduced eyes to blind troglobitic species. In microphthalmic species, the maintenance of a circadian clock plays a role in the entrainment of daily light/dark cycles of locomotory activity. In contrast, in blind species, the circadian cycles and the circadian clock system disappear completely.