4 Caves, 42 Species: Karst’s Hidden Shell-ter for Malacological Diversity
Across four caves, Santol, Bahay Paniki, Cuarto-Cuarto, and Aguinaldo, in Biak-Na-Bato National Park, San Miguel, Bulacan, we found 42 land snail species from 13 families: 23 macro (>5 mm), 18 micro (<5 mm), and 1 slug. Nearly 90% are native, including the endemic Obbiberus bulacanensis, a flattened, lens-shaped macro land snail. Bahay Paniki Cave recorded the highest number of species (27), while Aguinaldo Cave was the most diverse (qD = 12). Soil pH was the strongest predictor of species richness. Abundance, on one hand, depended on a mix of canopy cover, tree density, soil moisture, soil pH, and temperature. This brings Bulacan's documented land snail count to 53 species, up 211.76% from 17 species recorded nearly a century ago. These results highlight that Biak-Na-Bato is not just a karst landmark, but an overlooked haven for slow-moving, shell-bearing terrestrial gems.
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