Groundwater life: some new biospeleological views resulting from the Ophel paradigm

The functioning of the new chemoautotrophic biome Ophel (POR, 2007) isdiscussed based on its type locality, the Ayyalon groundwater pool, which is compared to the Movile cave and the Frasassi caves. The specific role of the thermosbaenaceans as first consumers in chemoautotrophic systems is emphasized. New views are presented concerning the zoogeography of the ophelic biome and a new theory is advanced about the origin of the ophelic fauna, which differs from the Tethyan stranding theory.