Spilaio Koufovounou

Higher Geography
Region: Anatoliki Makedonia-Thraki,
Sub-Region: Evros,
Municipality: Didymoteicho,
Closest Settlement: Koufovouno
Cave Synonyms
Spilaio Vouvas, Höhle bei Kouvobono
Cave type
Natural
Description / Comments

It is not clear whether the Chiropteran records of Niethamer (1974) and Kock (1974) are assigned to the cave of Koufovouno or the cave of Didymoteicho.

Protection status
  • GR1110005 - Vouna Evrou - spilaia Didymoteichou kai Kefalovounou (Special Area of Conservation): Law 3937/2011 (OGG/Α 60/31.03.2011), Joint Ministerial Decision 50743/2017 (OGG 4432/B/15.12.17). Check site’s Standard Data Form
Fauna
  • Alucita huebneri Wallengren, 1859, Beron et al. 2004, Beshkov & Wegner 2004
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Lepidoptera / Family: Alucitidae
  • Anemadus graecus (Kraatz, 1870), Beron et al. 2004, Guéorguiev 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Leiodidae
  • Balcanodiscus frivaldskyanus (Rossmässler, 1842), Riedel 1969, Riedel 1985a, Riedel 1988b, Riedel 1992, Riedel 1996, Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Karakasi et al. 2024
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Zonitidae
  • Bryaxis sp., Besuchet 1993, Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Staphylinidae
  • Chthonius sp., Beron et al. 2004
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Pseudoscorpionida / Family: Chthoniidae
  • Eupolybothrus transsylvanicus (Latzel,1882), Beron et al. 2004, Stoev 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Chilopoda / Order: Lithobiomorpha / Family: Lithobiidae
  • Laemostenus cimmerius (Fischer von Waldheim, 1823), Beron et al. 2004, Guéorguiev 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Carabidae
  • Lithobius beroni Negrea, 1965, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Chilopoda / Order: Lithobiomorpha / Family: Lithobiidae
  • Meta menardi (Latreille, 1804), Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Mammola et al. 2019
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Tetragnathidae
  • Metellina merianae (Scopoli, 1763), Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Naumova et al. 2016, Mammola et al. 2019
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Tetragnathidae
  • Micropterna malaspina Schmid, 1957, Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Trichoptera / Family: Limnephilidae
  • Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817), Niethammer 1974, Hanak et al. 2001, Bilgin et al. 2008, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Miniopteridae
  • Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857), Hurka 1972, Niethammer 1974, Ivanova 2000, Hanak et al. 2001, Ivanova & Gueorguieva 2004, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Myotis capaccinii (Bonaparte, 1837), Hurka 1972, Hanak et al. 2001, Papadatou et al. 2008, Bilgin 2012, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Myotis emarginatus (Geoffroy, 1806), Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797), Hanak et al. 2001, Ivanova & Gueorguieva 2004, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Nesticus cellulanus (Clerck, 1757), Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Naumova et al. 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Nesticidae
  • Nycteribia latreillei (Leach, 1817), Kock 1974, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Nycteribiidae
  • Nycteribia pedicularia Latreille, 1805, Hurka 1972, Kock 1974, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Nycteribiidae
  • Nycteribia schmidli Schiner, 1853, Hurka 1972, Kock 1974, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Nycteribiidae
  • Nycteribia vexata Westwood, 1835, Hurka 1972, Kock 1974, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Nycteribiidae
  • Palliduphantes istrianus (Kulczynski, 1914), Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Mammola et al. 2019
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Linyphiidae
  • Penicillidia conspicua Speiser, 1901, Hurka 1972, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Nycteribiidae
  • Penicillidia dufouri (Westwood, 1835), Hurka 1972, Kock 1974, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Nycteribiidae
  • Phthiridium biarticulatum Hermann, 1804, Hurka 1972, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Nycteribiidae
  • Rhinolophus blasii Peters, 1866, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus euryale Blasius, 1853, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774), Niethammer 1974, Ivanova 2000, Hanak et al. 2001, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus mehelyi Matschie, 1901, Hurka 1972, Niethammer 1974, Ivanova 2000, Hanak et al. 2001, Georgiakakis & Papadatou 2015, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhodopiella beroni (Strasser, 1966), Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Kime & Enghoff 2017
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Diplopoda / Order: Julida / Family: Julidae
  • Roncus sp., Beron et al. 2004
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Pseudoscorpionida / Family: Neobisiidae
  • Trechus austriacus Dejean, 1831, Beron et al. 2004, Guéorguiev 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Carabidae
  • Trichoniscus sp., Andreev 1986, Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Isopoda / Family: Trichoniscidae
Cave references
  • Ioannou, I. 1970. The cave “Koufovounou”, Didymoteicho (CRNr 2500). Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce 10:27–29.
Species references
  • Andreev, S. 1986. Contribution a l΄ étude des isopodes terrestres de la Grèce 3. Sur trois nouvelles donnes sur les Isopodes des Genres Cordioniscus, Alpioniscus et Trichoniscus et nouvelles donnes sur les Isopodes terr. (Oniscoidea). Biol. gallo-hellen., 11 (2): 153-164.
  • Beron, P. 2016. Faune cavernicole de la Grèce. Maison d'édition Est-West., Sofia. pp. 229.
  • Beron, P., Petrov, B. & Stoev, P. 2004. The Invertebrate cave fauna of the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). In Beron, P & A. Popov (eds). A. Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia, pp. 791-822.
  • Beshkov, S. & Wegner, H. 2004. Macrolepidoptera of the Greek part of the Eastern Rhodopes.. Pages 677–722 in P. Beron and Pop, editors.Biodiversity of Bulgaria 2. Biodiversity of eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia.
  • Besuchet, C. 1993. Pselaphides cavernicoles de Grèce (Coleoptera). Biol. gallo-hellen., 20 (1): 223-229.
  • Bilgin, R. 2012. The conservation genetics of three cave-dwelling bat species in southeastern Europe and Anatolia. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 36 (3): 275-282.
  • Bilgin, R., Karataş, A., Çoraman, E., Disotell, T. and Morales, J.C. 2008. Regionally and climatically restricted patterns of distribution of genetic diversity in a migratory bat species, Miniopterus schreibersii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). BMC Evolutionary Biology,. 8: 209
  • Georgiakakis, P. & Papadatou, E., 2015. Chiroptera, In Papamichael G., Arapis T., Petkidi K., Fytou I & Chatzirvasanis V. 2015. Deliverable 7, C – Phase of Study 7: "Monitoring and evaluation of conservation status mammal species of Community interest in Greece.". Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climatic Change, Athens, scholars Partnership and consultancy firms “ARAPIS THOMAS EYAGGELOY, GEOANALYSI S.A. and PAPACHARISI ALEXANDRA THEODORA ", Athens. pp. 59 (in Greek)
  • Georgiakakis P, Kafkaletou Diez A, Salvarina I, Benda P, Billington G, Dietz C, Billington J, Cove D, Davison S, Cooke M, Papadatou E. 2023. The Bats of Greece: An Updated Review of Their Distribution, Ecology and Conservation. Animals. 2023; 13(15):2529. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152529
  • Guéorguiev, B. 2004. Adephagous and some staphyliniform beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) in the eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). In Beron, Petar;Popov, A. Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Publisher, Sofia. pp. 379-411.
  • Hanak, V., Benda, P., Ruedi, M., Homcek, I. & Sofianidou, T. 2001. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean. Part 2. New records and review of distribution of bats in Greece. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 65: 279-346.
  • Hurka, K. 1972. Basilia mongolensis nudior subsp. n. nebst Bemerkungen zur Nycteribien- und Streblidenfauna Thrakiens (Diptera: Pupipara). Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, 76 (April): 709-713.
  • Ivanova, T. & Gueorguieva, A. 2004. Bats (Mammalia : Chiroptera) of the Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece) – species diversity , zoogeography and faunal patterns. In Beron, Petar;Popov, A. Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 2. Biodiversity of Eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Publisher. pp. 907-927.
  • Ivanova, T. 2000. New data οn bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the Eastem Rhodopes, Greece (Thrace, Evros). Hist. Nat. Bulg., 11: 117-125.
  • Karakasi D, Paragamian K, Mylonas M, Vardinoyannis K 2024. What`s crawling in the dark? An annotated list of gastropods in Greek caves.. Subterranean Biology 48: 73-116. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.48.113383
  • Kime R.D. & Enghoff H. 2017. Atlas of European millipedes 2: Order Julida (Class Diplopoda). European Journal of Taxonomy 346: 1–299.
  • Kock, D. 1974. Pupipare Dipteren von Säugetieren des nordöstlichen Mittelmeerraumes (Ins.: Diptera). Senckenbergiana biol., 55 (1/3): 87-104.
  • Mammola S, Cardoso P, Angyal D, Balázs G, Blick T, Carter J, Danflous S, Dányi L, Déjean S, Elverici M, Fernández J, Gasparo F, Komnenov M, Ková L, Bo K, Mock A, Moldovan O, Pavlek M, Prieto C E, Ribera C, Rozwa R, Vargovitsh R S, Zaenker S, Isaia M. 2019. Continental data on cave-dwelling spider communities across Europe (Arachnida : Araneae). Biodiversity Data Journal 7: e38492:1–15.
  • Naumova, M., Lazarov, S., Petrov, B. & Deltshev, C. 2016. New faunistic data on the cave-dwelling spiders in the Balkan Peninsula (Araneae). Ecologica Montenegrina, 7: 425-438.
  • Niethammer, J. 1974. Zur verbreitung und taxonomie griechischer säugetiere. Bonn. Zool. Beitr., 25 (1-3): 28-55.
  • Papadatou, E., Butlin, R. K. & Altringham, J. D. 2008. Seasonal Roosting Habits and Population Structure of the Long-fingered Bat Myotis capaccinii in Greece. Journal of Mammalogy, 89 (2): 503-512.
  • Riedel, A. 1969. Die Ägäis und die Verbreitung der Zonitidae (Gastropoda) in den östlichen Mittelmeerländern. Ann. Zool. (Wars.), 27 (2): 29-51.
  • Riedel, A. 1985. Zur Kenntnis der Balcanodiscus (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Zonitidae). Malak. Abh. Mus. Tierkd., Dresden, 10 (14): 139-147.
  • Riedel, A. 1988. Zur Kenntnis der Gattung Balcanodiscus, II (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Zonitidae). Malak. Abh. Mus. Tierkd., Dresden, 13 (10): 93-104.
  • Riedel, A. 1992. The Zonitidae (sensu lato) (Gastropoda, Pulmonata) of Greece. Fauna Graeciae V. Hellenic Zoological Society. pp. 194.
  • Riedel, A. 1996. Die in West-Paläarktis unterirdisch lebenden Zonitidae sensu lato (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora). Fragm. faun., 39 (24): 363-390.
  • Stoev, P. 2004. Centipedes (Chilopoda) from Greece in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia. Hist. Nat. Bulg., 16: 81-88.
Citation
Paragamian, K. 2025. Fauna of the cave Spilaio Koufovounou, Koufovouno, Didymoteicho, Anatoliki Makedonia-Thraki. In Paragamian, K., M. Poulinakis, S. Paragamian and I. Nikoloudakis. Cave fauna of Greece database - Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research. Cave data updated 28.01.2021, Accessed 17.04.2025