Cave Life
Marengo Cave maintains a constant year round temperature of 52.1 degrees. Because sunlight is non-existent beyond the entrance area, only a few non-green plants can survive in the dark interior of the cave.
Troglobites
Troglobites are animals that live their entire life in total darkness. Troglobites found in Marengo Cave include isopods, millipedes, springtails, amphipods (cave shrimp) and blind crayfish. In the lower stream level of the cave, blind cave fish (amblyopsis spelaea) are found, but not on the drier upper levels seen by visitors.
Troglophiles
Troglophiles are animals that regularly live in dark zones of caves, but can exist outside. Examples of troglophiles found in Marengo Cave are salamanders, cave crickets, spiders, flies, fungus gnats and cave beetles.
Trogloxenes
Trogloxenes are animals that live in caves only occasionally or during certain times of the year. Marengo Cave is the temporary home of bats, cave rats and the white footed mouse, all of which are trogloxenes.
Fungi
Detritis (organic debris such as animal manure, leaves, and dead plants) enters the cave by water, air currents, or the bodies of animals. Detritis forms the bottom of the cave's food chain and is broken down by fungi and used for their food.