CARLSBAD, N.M. (KRQE) — A bag of Cheetos that was dropped on the ground at Carlsbad Caverns National Park had a large impact on the cave’s ecosystem, according to National Park Service staff.

Spiders play an important role in cave ecosystems as predators, yet little is known about the embryonic development of many cave-spider species. Cave-dwelling animals often exhibit unique ...

Discovered in 2020, Cryptops speleorex — meaning "king of the cave" — sits at the top of the food chain in the unique ecosystem. It is the largest invertebrate species in the cave, growing to ...

"This further suggests that most cave fishes may not have lived in cave ecosystems for more than a few million years," the researchers wrote in the study. "Thus, together with the eyes and scales ...

Once an ancient seafloor, the arid ecosystem covers more than 200,000 ... several millennia to create huge and little-understood cave systems. The Yalata Bush Blitz expedition, in 2021, was ...

Scientists have struck gold while searching for fish in a Chinese cave, having discovered a brand-new species that’s not only got a gilded exterior, but also appears to still be evolving.

This discovery highlights the importance of small animals in ancient ecosystems and their role in the marine food chain. Mammoth Cave, with its 400 miles (650 km) of explored passages, is an ...

Some golden-line fish have lost their scales and eyes as part of adaptations to cave life — there's no point having eyes if it's too dark to see anything. The newfound species, which the ...