Rare discovery at Smoo Cave
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A rare ostracod – a tiny crustacean around 1mm in size – has been discovered at Smoo Cave.
The rare subterranean aquatic creature was discovered last year by researchers Lee Knight and Dominika Wroblewska.
They were assisted in their search at Smoo Cave by High Life Highland ranger for north west Sutherland Donald Mitchell and countryside ranger manager Imogen Furlong.
The survey results of that trip have now been published in the Cave and Karst Science Journal.
In total 32 caves across Scotland were sampled, along with many sites across the Highlands - in Assynt, Wester Ross and Skye.
Mr Mitchell said: “It was fascinating to assist in the sampling process at Smoo cave, and to read about the Lee’s findings,
the number of species is truly remarkable. They found 130 individual species within the sampled cave systems; among these were dragon fly nymphs and caddis flys, water crickets and pea mussels.
“Styglobitic creatures live entirely below the earth’s surface and preliminary findings show that one particular ostracod could be the first recorded in Scotland.”
People can see how sampling for these 1mm long and rare creatures occurs by visiting the High Life Highland YouTube channel where Donald Mitchell talks to Lee Knight about his scientific sampling processes.
Dr Knight added: “The specimens have been tentatively identified as Fabaeformiscandona latens from Allt nan Uamh Stream Cave and Smoo Cave, these are of importance because records of this genus are very rare in Britain.”
