Cryptozoa

Not to be confused with Cryptid.

Cryptozoa is the collective name for small animals who live in darkness and under conditions of high relative humidity, as in the wet soil underneath rocks, decomposing tree bark etc.[1][2] Examples include pseudoscorpions, slugs, centipedes and earwigs. The habitat of the cryptozoa allows avoidance of fluctuations of temperature and humidity, which makes the contained range of considerably different species quite remarkable.[3] Moreover, cryptozoa are notable for their inclusion of often unnamed varieties of organisms.

The term "cryptozoic fauna" was originally coined by Arthur Dendy.[4]

  1. ^ Cole, Lamont C. (1946). "A Study of the Cryptozoa of an Illinois Woodland". Ecological Monographs. 16 (1): 49–86. doi:10.2307/1943574. JSTOR 1943574.
  2. ^ Savory, Theodore (1974). "On the Arachnid Order Palpigradi". The Journal of Arachnology. 2 (1): 43–45. JSTOR 3704995.
  3. ^ Cloudsley-Thompson, Professor Dr John L. (1988-01-01). "Adaptations to Extreme Environments". Evolution and Adaptation of Terrestrial Arthropods. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. pp. 80–98. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-61360-9_6. ISBN 9783540181880.
  4. ^ Dendy, Arthur (1894-12-01). "L.—Additions to the cryptozoic fauna of New Zealand". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 14 (84): 393–401. doi:10.1080/00222939408677825. ISSN 0374-5481.