Snails in the limestone caves of the Bohemian Forest foothills (SW-Bohemia)

In ten explored limestone caves of the Bohemian Forest foothills, 23 snail species were found. The records were partly published elsewhere (DVOŘÁK 1999). O. cellarius, O. glaber, H. pomatia, L. cinereoniger, and H. lapicida are the most typical and most frequent species (see Table 1). The occurrence of the majority of other species in the caves is more or less accidental. In most cases, there occur typically the species living in the surrounding of the particular caves. O. cellarius, L. cinereoniger, and H. pomatia belongs to the most frequent species in the underground spaces (cf. DVOŘÁK 1999). H. lapicida is very common species of both forest and xerophilous rocky biotopes or their surrounding; thus its frequent occurrence in caves is not surprising. Although O. glaber is the most frequent species in the studied caves, the results do not reflect the situation in the Bohemian Forest foothills properly. O. glaber is very rare species in this region and its occurrence is concentrated into wide surroundings of the Blanice and Volyňka streams (all three caves with O. glaber are situated in this area). The species O. cellarius and O. glaber are known as common inhabitants of the caves in different parts of Europe and they are ranked into category of troglophilous species (RIEDEL 1996). Only those two species from the genus Oxychilus together with L. cinereonigerpenetrate into deeper parts of the caves in the study area. The penetrating of an expansive A. lusitanicus 3 m deep into the cave of Fík confirms an adaptability of this species