040 Cueva del Comellantes (Cueva del Comediante)
South Vega VN50799575 Alt. 170m Length 300m + 140m

Updated 19th February,18th April 1999, 31st July 2000

The resurgence cave for much of the water sinking on Beralta (south Vega) and the water seen in Cueva-Cubio de la Reñada (048). Water sinking near Alisas (in Torca del Hoyón - 567) has also been tested to here, but the test needs repeating. Three entrances lead to large phreatic passage with the twice-dived sump pool down a muddy slope on the left. The main passage ends a few metres from Cubio de la Reñada. (A water test shows a total hardness of 110ppm at 0.12cumec).

The sump pool nearest the resurgence, with a pipe and pump extracting water, has also been dived. The submerged passage is up to 10m wide and 20m deep with visibility up to 20m. Ripple marks occur on the sandy floor. The passage rises to 15m where the route from the internal sump pool appears to enter. The passage drops steadily to 28.5m at a point 140m from the entrance. The passage then rises to -12m and becomes small. There are still possibilities in the roof. A full diving account and survey from 1989 appears in the file. On a poor visibility dive at Easter 1999, the sound of running water was heard.

Notenboom (AX) found Pseudoniphargus and Cantabroniscus in gour pools inside the cave, and the following fauna at the resurgence: Echinogammarus/ Gammarus, Cyclopoidea, Prosobranchia/ Hydrobioidea, Theodoxus (Prosobr.). Meijide recorded the bat Myotis myotis in 1982.

According to Quin (BU pp59-62), in his magnetic susceptibility studies, sediments from Comellantes show similar k values to sediments in Cueva del Arenal (035), indicating that the sites may have had (or have) a common morphogenic agent and are connected.

JCFG suggests that Comediante is the correct name and that there is local confusion over the names Clarin or Clarion to name the river.

References: Puig et al, 1896; Madoz Pascual, 1848; Fernández Gutiérrez et al, 1966 (survey and photo); Cox G, 1973; Ullastre-Martorell J, 1975 (survey); Fernández Gutiérrez J C, 1975; Mills L D J, 1981; Corrin J S and Smith P, 1981; anon., 1981 (logbook); anon., 1982 (logbook); Corrin J, 1983a (survey); Corrin J, 1983c (photo); anon., 1983a (Easter logbook); anon., 1985b (logbook); anon., 1987 (logbook); Notenboom J and Meijers I, 1985; Meijide Calvo M, 1982; Corrin J, 1990; anon., 1992b (logbook); Corrin J, 1992b (survey); Corrin J and Quin A, 1992; material in file; Quin A, 1993b (survey); Quin Andrew, 1995 (survey); Fernández Ortega F, Valls Uriol and Maria del Carmen, 1998; anon., 1999a (Easter logbook); anon., 2000c (Summer logbook)
Entrance picture : resurgence entrance
Underground picture(s): resurgence  diver1   diver2
Detailed Survey :
Line Survey :
On area survey : South Vega System
Survex file :