b. Yucatan Peninsula (**Figure 3**)

This area involve three Mexican states, is the longest area in the Southern of Mexico with a major caves formations involve the semi-dry, dry and flooded caves, in those closed to coast with sea water and freshwater subterranean interactions are called anchihaline systems, and their fauna is complete different to those with all freshwater. In the Yucatan Peninsula the maximum elevation is in Ticul Mountains, with 300 masl, However according with the different geological times that this Peninsula emerge there are at less five subregional areas, where the tropical forest are the most source of energy to maintenance the live in underground. The fishes more representative in the region are catfishes, *Rhamdia guatemalensis*, *Opisternon infernale* and *Ogilbia pearsei*, all them in freshwater, in the same conditions the crustaceans more abundant are *Creaseriella anops* (isopod), *Creaseria morleyi* and *Typhlatya mitchelli* and *Typhlatya pearsei*. Whilst, in anchialine systems there are *Barbouria cubensis, Agostocaris bozanici, Agostocaris zabaletai, Anchialocaris paulini, Procaris mexicana, Parhippolyte stereri, Yagerocaris cozumel, Xibalbanus tulumensis, Xibalbanus cozumelensis* and *Xibalbanus fuchscockborni,* *Metacirolana mayana, Mayaweckelia cernua* (**Table 2**). In this case all

*Tropical Subterranean Ecosystems in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize: A Review of Aquatic…*

This area comprised the Mountains Chains that slope drainage to Gulf of Mexico, there are a continuum of Mountains from Chiapas, and they are formed mainly by karstic soil, and the elevations go to 2000 m from

*Caves from Alta Verapaz and Peten regions in Guatemala.- the red points represent each entrance to*

Río Salinas and Río Xcán, that drainage to Usumacinta river in Mexico and to Cahabon river that go to Izabal Lake. In they are the main cave formations are in the Lanquin Area, and the springs from different rivers such the Hunalye, Cahabon, Xcán and others. The species reported in there are: freshwater prawns *Macrobrachium vicconi* in the entrance of spring of Hunalye without cave adaptations, *Macrobrachium* spp. (in description process), blind crabs, from Pseudothelphusidae family, and catfishes from *Rhamdia* genus. The tropical forest is the most common adjacent ecosystems and the bat activity to carried energy inside the caves is the principal source to maintenance the ecological function from these underground ecosystems. In this case all

crustaceans was confirmed with our fieldtrip work.

c. Alta VeraPaz Region (**Figure 4**)

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97694*

species was collected by authors.

**Figure 4.**

**47**

*subterranean systems.*


#### **Table 2.**

*Checklist of subterranean fauna taxa of the Yucatan peninsula region.*

*Tropical Subterranean Ecosystems in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize: A Review of Aquatic… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97694*

*Metacirolana mayana, Mayaweckelia cernua* (**Table 2**). In this case all crustaceans was confirmed with our fieldtrip work.
