Missouri Cave Life

Missouri Cave Life

William R. Elliott

Here is a sample of the typical cave life of Missouri, including trogloxenes, troglophiles, and troglobites. Missouri is a state in the central USA. The Missouri River flows east across the state and into the Mississippi River.

Map of Missouri Map of Cave Density in Missouri

This page grew out of the "Missouri Cave Life Survey", a study of the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Caves & Karst Conservancy. In the study we use a field identification booklet, which contains most of the images displayed here.

Missouri contains at least 5,700 caves. Nearly 800 different species of animals have been recorded in Missouri caves, of which about 64 are truly cave-adapted troglobites or stygobites (aquatic troglobites). But caves are also important refuges for common wildlife to escape cold, drought and predators.

Also, we have some photos of recently built cave gates, used for conserving cave life and other resources.

To see a description of the image, let your cursor stay over the thumbnail image before you click.

Many thanks to the photographers, who are credited in the images.

Vertebrates (animals with backbones)

Osteicthyes (Fishes)

Amphibia (salamanders & frogs)

Aves (birds)

Chiroptera (Bats)

Invertebrates (animals without backbones)

Worms (Nematomorpha & Platyhelminthes)

Gastropoda (snails)

Crustacea (amphipods, isopods, decapods)