PYRDA, Ladmyrsiang, 1st (Krem)
25.342100,92.489600
Description
A north-east to south-west running main drag (on average 7 m wide and 2.5 m high), partly wet, along the foot of a limestone ridge, functions as a tunnel cave (sort of a subterranean shortcut) which drains water from the north-east to the south-west. Not only dark coloures, mud covered stalactites (speleothems) but also a few rimstone pools do occur. SITUATION (note 1): In a flat bottomed, horseshoe shaped valley known as Pyrda to the east-south-east of the Jaintia Cement Works at Ladmyrsiang (Latyrke) and at the bottom of the western flank of the Shnongrim - Tangnub ridge. The three cave entrances lie in the extreme tip of the southern one of the two spurs enclosing the valley (the same ridge where the Thloo –>Rasah potholes are found). The cement factory is visible only from the south-westernmost cave entrance (E1) which is probably the best known because it is occasionally used by local people to fetch water. CAVE DESCRIPTION: »After a wet start a large dry passage awaited us, complete with interesting stalactite formations. A side passage was explored by Sophie and Mr Edmunds, and this proved to lead back out into the jungle. The main passage continued for 50 m or so and became narrower towards the end before emerging into dense jungle« (DAWSON, S 1999: 12). PROSPECTS: Partly explored but not mapped low crawls at floor level have not been pushed to a conclusion but there seems to be not too much mountain around to offer lots of unknown passages. CAVE LIFE: Christian W. Fischer ( 2001.02.08, 16.07.2001 personal correspondence) Arachnida, Aranea, Heteropoda spec., species 1, Dan Harries legat 2 Sp. 08.02.2001; one bat (Chiroptera: Horseshoe indet.); many many Opiliones (indet., harvestmen, daddy longlegs); millipedes (Millipedes, Myriapoda, Diplopoda, Trachyjulidae spec.); "snot gobblers" (larval stage of fungus gnats, Diptera: Mycetophilidae), Pholcidae indet. Bradysia spec.: B. procera group (1m 1f - India, Shnongrim, entrance of Krem Pyrda, 10.2.2001Dr. Dieter KOCK (2002.05.16 Mss: Letter to Laumanns, Michael) determined bats (Chiroptera): Hipposideros armiger (HODGSON 1835): 8.II.2001, 2 skulls & other skull fragments, H. D. Gebauer leg. & ded. 25.IV.2002: »First time recorded from this part of India ["Hier aus Indien bisher nicht belegt!"].« Dr. Frank MENZEL (2001.11.22: Mss Letter to Christian Fischer): Insecta: Nematocera:Sciaridae: Bradysia spec.: B. procera group (1m 1f, entrance, 10.02.2001). JÄGER (2005: 92-95 figures 29-42) determined Arachnida: Araneae: Sparassidae: Heteropoda fischeri sp.n.) with the help, among others, of the male paratype PJ 1758 and the female Paratype PJ 1759 (deposited at Muséum d'histoire naturelle, Genève / P. Schwendinger) collected on 08.02.2001 by Christian W. Fischer and Daniel B. Harries from near the cave entrance to Krem Pyrda.
NOTE 1: GPS positions (WGS84): Entrance 1: ±110 m 25°20'29”N: 92°29'23”E: 1025 m asl (Gebauer, H D 1999.03.31 GPS Garmin 12). Entrance 1: ±4.7 m 25°20'31.4”N: 92°29'22.4”E: 980 m (Gebauer, H D 2001.02.08 GPS Garmin 12). Entrance 2: ±6.2 m 25°20'29.2”N: 92°29'17.3”E: 990 m (Gebauer, H D 2001.02.08 GPS Garmin 12). Entrance 3: ±4.1 m 25°20'26.5”N: 92°29'19.3”E: 976 m (Gebauer, H D 2001.02.08 GPS Garmin 12).
Documents
Bibliography 07/05/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1999.03.31: Paul A. Edmunds, H. D. Gebauer, Nick Cain, Gregory D. Diengdoh, Sophie Kumar, Robert Lamb, Louise Le Fluffy, Matthew Truman and Oliver Truman mapped the main drag, assisted by Katharina "Kate" Janossy, Eleanor Lock, Earl Francis Lyngdoh, Helen Philp and Andrew "Andy" Peter Tyler (DAWSON 1999). 2001.02.08: Christian W. Fischer and Daniel B. Harries collected near the cave entrance the male paratype PJ 1758 and the female Paratype PJ 1759 (deposited at Muséum d'histoire naturelle, Genève / P. Schwendinger) of Heteropoda fischeri sp.n. (JÄGER 2005: 92-95 figures 29-42). 2001.02.08-10: Christian W. Fischer, Fiona J. Ware and Daniel B. Harries put up traps to collect biospeleological taxa.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | PYRDA, Ladmyrsiang, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 0.2 | PASWAR (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | UMTHLU, Rasah 1 (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | THLU, Rasah, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | PYRDA, Ladmyrsiang, 3rd (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | THLU, Rasah, 1st (Krem) | ||
| 0.3 | UMTHLU, Rasah, 2nd (Krem) | ||
| 0.4 | UMTHLU, Rasah, 3rd (Krem) | ||
| 0.5 | UMPLIANG (Krem) |