Population ecology of cavernicoles associated with carrion in caves of Georgia, USA

The abundance of troglophilic Megaselia spp. (Diptera: Phoridae), trogloxen ic Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae), and troglo bitic Ptomaphagus white-selli Barr (Coleoptera: Leiodidae) on carrion was s tudied in two caves in Georgia, USA. Phorid and leiodid abundance were stat istically independent of location in the caves and of time the carrion was available for colonization in a cave. Calliphorid abundance was linked to l ocation in the cave and duration the carrion remained in the cave. The colo nization patterns on carrion by cavernicoles differed between permanent and transient cave-dwelling species. Variation could be due to the different r eproductive strategies of each species.