Caracterização ecológica de algumas cavernas do Parque Nacional de Ubajara (Ceará) com considerações sobre o turismo nestas cavidades

Abstract

The invertebrate community structure and the organic resources in three caves located in the National Park of Ubajara (Ubajara, Ceará, Brazil) were analysed. A total of 115 invertebrate species were observed, being 68 in Ubajara cave, 53 in Morcego Branco cave and 21 in Mocós cave. The observed taxa were: Araneae (21 spp.), Coleoptera (17 spp.), Diptera (12 spp.), Acari (11 spp.), Lepidoptera (11 spp.), Hymenoptera (8 spp.), Psocoptera (6 spp.), Homoptera (4 spp.), Pseudoscorpiones (3 spp.), Collembola (3 spp.), Isopoda (2 spp.), Opiliones (2 spp.), Amblypygi (2 spp.), Diplopoda (2 spp.), Ensifera (2 spp.), Heteroptera (2 spp.), Neuroptera (2 spp.), Gastropoda (2 spp.), Zygentoma (1 sp.), Annelida (1 sp.) and Schizomida (1 sp.). In Ubajara cave, three species had shown troglomorphic traits (from the orders Opiliones, Pseudoscopiones and Isopoda). Furthermore, a new species of Rowlandius (Schizomida: Hubardiidae) was discovered. The tourists visiting Ubajara cave must stay in a defined route that must avoid areas with high moisture and organic content, since those areas are usually attracting species. The caves located in the National Park of Ubajara are unique, since are located in a fragment of Altantic Forest surrounded by semiarid vegetation (Caatinga).