dbRDA ordination of the assemblages structure of caves on the species (A) and families (B) levels, as well as ordination of species (C) and families (D) preferences (based on Bray–Curtis similarity index) factored with illuminance ranges: light–fully illuminated (surface), twilight–half-light (ecotone), dark–darkness (subterranean). Abbreviations: DIST–location of cave, TEMP–temperature of water, MIN–total mineralization (ppm), PH–acidity; families names: Dug.–Dugesiidae, Dend.–Dendrocoelidae, Naid.–Naididae, Lumb.–Lumbriculidae, Erp.–Erpobdellidae, Hydrob.–Hydrobiidae, Lymn.–Lymnaeidae, Ell.–Ellobiidae, Phys.–Physidae, Plan.– Planorbidae, Sphae.–Sphaeriidae, Trich.–Trichoniscidae, Gam.–Gammaridae, Niph. –Niphargidae, Crang.–Crangonyctidae, Typhl.–Typhlogammaridae, Aty.–Atyidae, Aesh.–Aeshnidae, Hept.–Heptageniidae, Baet.–Baetidae, Lept.–Leptophlebiidae, Nem.–Nemouridae, Leuc.–Leuctridae, Perl.–Perlodidae, Elm.–Elmidae, Hyd. –Hydrophilidae, Hydr.–Hydraenidae, Scir.–Scirtidae, Psych.–Psychomyiidae, Phil.–Philopotamidae, Hydro.–Hydropsychidae, Polyc.–Polycentropodidae, Glos.–Glossosomatidae, Rhyac.–Rhyacophilidae, Limn.–Limnephilidae, Lepid.–Lepidostomatidae, Seric.–Sericostomatidae, Goer.–Goeridae, Ber.–Beraeidae, Uen.–Uenoidae, Limon.–Limoniidae, Chir.–Chironomidae, Cerat.–Ceratopogonidae, Sim.–Simulidae, Psycho.–Psychodidae, Dix.–Dixidae, Strat.–Stratiomyidae. The abbreviations of species names are presented in Suppl. material 1: table S4. Numbers refer to cave numbers in Table 1.

 
 
  Part of: Borisov RR, Chertoprud ES, Palatov DM, Novichkova AA, Vorobjeva LV, Chertoprud EM (2025) At the edge of darkness and light: macrozoobenthic assemblages of streams in the entrance zone of caves in the Western Caucasus. Subterranean Biology 53: 73-101. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.53.152803