Spilaio Agias Sofias

Higher Geography
Region: Kriti,
Sub-Region: Chania,
Municipality: Kissamos,
Closest Settlement: Topolia
Cave type
Natural
Description / Comments

The species Stalita cretica Roewer 1928 was erroneously reported from the cave of Agia Sophia (Topolia, Crete) by Roewer (1928). Deeleman-Reinhold (1993) examined the type species and found it indistinguishable from Stalagtia hercegovinensis which does not occur in Greece. It appears that Roewer mislabeled the specimens supposedly collected on 1926 in Crete (Beier 1931) as he has done with pseudoscorpions (Helversen & Martens 1972).

Protection status
  • Archaeological Site - Ministerial Decision 21220/10-8-1967 (OGG 527/Β/24-8-1967)
  • GR4340004 - Elos - Topolia - Sasalos - Agios Dikaios (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
  • Acanthopetalum minotauri (Attems, 1902), Strasser 1967, Felesaki et al. 2010
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Diplopoda / Order: Callipodida / Family: Schizopetalidae
  • Aporrectodea rosea (Savigny, 1826), Omodeo 1956a, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Annelida / Class: Clitellata / Order: Crassiclitellata / Family: Lumbricidae
  • Bathytropa granulata Aubert & Dollfus, 1890, Vandel 1958, Schmalfuss 1972b, Schmalfuss 1979, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Isopoda / Family: Bathytropidae
  • Bryocamptus pygmaeus (G.O. Sars, 1863), Chappuis 1929, Lindberg 1953a, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Hexanauplia / Order: Harpacticoida / Family: Canthocamptidae
  • Dysdera crocata C.L. Koch, 1838, Roewer 1928, Roewer 1959, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Dysderidae
  • Dysderocrates marani (Kratochvíl, 1937), Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman 1988, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Dysderidae
  • Eopolita protensa (A. Férussac, 1832), Karakasi et al. 2024
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Oxychilidae
  • Eucyclops serrulatus (Fischer, 1851), Chappuis 1929, Chappuis 1933, Wolf 1937b, Wolf 1938, Lindberg 1953a, Franke 1989
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Hexanauplia / Order: Cyclopoida / Family: Cyclopidae
  • Euscorpius candiota Birula, 1903, Roewer 1943, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Scorpiones / Family: Euscorpiidae
  • Harpactea catholica (Brignoli, 1984), Deeleman-Reinhold 1993, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Dysderidae
  • Histopona isolata Deeleman-Reinhold, 1983, Deeleman-Reinhold 1983, Gasparo 2003, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016, Ballarin et al. 2020
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Agelenidae
  • Hoplopholcus labyrinthi (Kulczynski, 1903), Senglet 1971, Brignoli 1979a, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016, Huber 2020
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Pholcidae
  • Lithobius crassipes L. Koch, 1862, Chamberlin 1956, Zapparoli 2002
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Chilopoda / Order: Lithobiomorpha / Family: Lithobiidae
  • Loxosceles rufescens (Dufour, 1820), Roewer 1928, Bosmans et al. 2013
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Sicariidae
  • Monocyphoniscus bulgaricus (Strouhal, 1939), Vandel 1958, Schmalfuss 1972b, Schmalfuss 1975, Schmalfuss et al. 2004, Schmalfuss 2005b, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Isopoda / Family: Trichoniscidae
  • Neobisium carcinoides (Hermann, 1804), Beier 1931b, Wolf 1937b, Wolf 1938
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Pseudoscorpionida / Family: Neobisiidae
  • Oxychilus sp., Karakasi et al. 2024
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Oxychilidae
  • Pholcus creticus Senglet, 1971, Senglet 1971, Brignoli 1979a, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Huber 2011, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Pholcidae
  • Plecotus kolombatovici Dulic, 1980, Martens 1967, Kiefer & Helversen 2004b, Benda et al. 2009, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774), Martens 1967, Pieper 1977, Hanak et al. 2001, Benda et al. 2009, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus hipposideros (André, 1797), Martens 1967, Benda et al. 2009, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Roncus lubricus L. Koch, 1873, Beier 1931a, Wolf 1937b, Wolf 1938
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Pseudoscorpionida / Family: Neobisiidae
  • Segestria florentina (Rossi, 1790), Roewer 1928, Brignoli 1979a, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Segestriidae
  • Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836), Roewer 1928, Wolf 1937b, Wolf 1938, Senglet 2001, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Pholcidae
  • Stygopholcus photophilus Senglet, 1971, Senglet 2001, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Bosmans et al. 2013, Huber et al. 2021
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Pholcidae
  • Sulcia cretica Fage, 1945, Fage 1945, Brignoli 1974b, Brignoli 1979a, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Leptonetidae
  • Tegenaria ariadnae Brignoli, 1984, Roewer 1959, Brignoli 1979a, Bosmans et al. 2013, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Agelenidae
  • Tenuiphantes tenuis (Blackwall, 1852), Bosmans et al. 2013
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Linyphiidae
  • Trichoniscus lindbergi Vandel, 1958, Vandel 1958, Schmalfuss 1972b, Schmalfuss 1979, Schmalfuss et al. 2004, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Isopoda / Family: Trichoniscidae
  • Troglophilus spinulosus Chopard, 1921, Boudou-Saltet 1973a, Kollaros et al. 1991, Beron 2016, Allegrucci et al. 2017
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Orthoptera / Family: Rhaphidophoridae
  • Tropocyclops prasinus (Fischer, 1860), Lindberg 1956, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Hexanauplia / Order: Cyclopoida / Family: Cyclopidae
  • Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769), Pieper 1977
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Aves / Order: Strigiformes / Family: Tytonidae
Cave references
  • Faure, P. 1955. Grottes explorees en 1954 en Crete qui ne figurent pas au, bulletin de la S.S.G. Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce Hellenic Speleological Society. 3:87-101.
  • Lindberg, K. 1955. Notes sur le grottes de l΄ île de Crète. Fragm. balc. Skopje 1(19):165-174.
  • Petrocheilou, A. 1984. The Greek Caves. Ekdotiki Athinon 160pp.
  • Petrocheilou, A. 1970. he cave Agias Sofias Topolion, Kissamos (CRNr 697). Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce 10:90–94.
Species references
  • Allegrucci, G., Ketmaier, V., Di Russo, C., Rampini, M., Sbordoni, V. & Cobolli, M. 2017. Molecular phylogeography of Troglophilus cave crickets (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae): A combination of vicariance and dispersal drove diversification in the East Mediterranean region. J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res.: 1-16.
  • Ballarin F., Salmaso R. & Latella L. 2020. The arachnological collections of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Verona (Italy): an overview. Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 60:23-26
  • Beier, M. 1931. Pseudoscorpionidea. In Roewer C.Fr. Zoologische Streifzüge in Attika, Morea und besonders auf der Insel Kreta. III. Publisher, Bremen. pp. 91-101.
  • Beier, M. 1931. Zur Kenntnis der troglobionten Neobisien (Pseudoscorpione). Eos, 7: 9-23.
  • Benda, P., Georgiakakis, P., Dietz, C., Hanak, V., Galanaki, K., Markantonatou, V., Chudarkova, A., Hulva, P. & Horacek, I. 2009. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Part 7. The bat fauna of Crete, Greece. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 72 (3-4): 105-190.
  • Beron, P. 2016. Faune cavernicole de la Grèce. Maison d'édition Est-West., Sofia. pp. 229.
  • Bosmans, R. & Chatzaki, M. 2005. A catalogue of the spiders of Greece. A critical review of all spider species cited from Greece with their localities. Newsletter Belg. Arachn. Soc., 20 (2): 1-124.
  • Bosmans, R., Van Keer, J., Russell-Smith, A., Kronestedt, T., Alderweireldt, M., Bosselaers, J. & De Koninck, H. 2013. Spiders of Crete (Araneae). A catalogue of all currently known species from the Greek Island of Crete. Newsletter Belg. Arachn. Soc., 28 (1): 1-147.
  • Boudou-Saltet, P. 1973. Les Dolichopodes (Orth. Rhaph.) de Grèce VIII. Nouvelles espèces de Crète. Biol. gallo-hellen., 5 (1): 57-63.
  • Brignoli, P. M. 1974. Araignées de Grèce VIII. Quelques Leptonetidae de la Laconie et de l΄ île de Crète (Arachnida, Araneae). Ann. Speleol., 29 (1): 63-70.
  • Brignoli, P. M. 1979. Ragni di Grecia XI. Specie nuove o interessanti, cavernicole ed epigee. Rev. suisse Zool., 86 (1): 181-202.
  • Chamberlin, R. V. 1956. On a collection of chilopods from Crete. Ent. news, 67: 51-53.
  • Chappuis, P. A. 1929. Notes sur les Copépodes. 1. Une nouvelle Attheyella du Japon. 2. Moraria poppei Mrazek et Moraria brevipes Sars. 3. Copépodes de Grèce. Bull. Soc. Sci. Cluj, 4 (2): 97-106.
  • Chappuis, P. A. 1933. Copépodes (Premier série). Avec l΄ énumération de tous les Copépodes cavernicoles connus en 1931. Arch. Zool. exp. gen., 76: 1-57.
  • Deeleman-Reinhold, C. L. & Deeleman, P. R. 1988. Revision des Dysderinae (Araneae, Dysderidae), les especes mediterraneennes occidentales exceptees. Tijdschr. Ent., 131: 141-269.
  • Deeleman-Reinhold, C. L. 1983. The genus Histopona Thorel (Araneae, Agelenidae), with description of two new cave-dwelling species. Mem. Biospeol., 10: 325-338.
  • Deeleman-Reinhold, C. L. 1993. The genus Rhode and the harpacteine genera Stalagtia, Folkia, Minotauria and Kaemis (Araneae, Dysderidae) of Yugoslavia and Crete, with remarks on the genus Harpactea. Rev. Arachnol., 10 (6): 105-135.
  • Fage, L. 1945. A propos de quelques Araignées cavernicoles de Crète. Bull. Mus. Hist. nat., Paris, 17 (2): 109-114.
  • Felesaki, I., Stoev, P., Simaiakis, S. & Mylonas, M. 2010. A catalogue of the millipedes of Crete (Myriapoda: Diplopoda). Natura Montenegrina, 9 (3): 357-368.
  • Franke U. 1989. Katalog zur Sammlung limnischer COPEPODEN von Prof. Dr. Friedrich Kiefer (mit einem Gesamtverzeichnis seiner Publikationen). Carolinea - Beiträge zur naturkundlichen Forschung in Südwestdeutschland Beihefte 5:1–433
  • Gasparo, F. 2003. Tre campagne biospeleologiche a Creta. Progressione, 48 (1): 59-62.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • Huber, B.A. 2011. Revision and cladistic analysis of Pholcus and closely related taxa (Araneae, Pholcidae). Bonn. Zool. Beitr., 58: 1-509.
  • Huber B.A. 2020. Revision of the spider genus Hoplopholcus Kulczyński (Araneae, Pholcidae). Zootaxa 4726:1–94.
  • Huber B. A., Pavlek M., & Komnenov M. 2021. Revision of the spider genus Stygopholcus (Araneae, Pholcidae), endemic to the Balkan Peninsula. European Journal of Taxonomy, 752(1), 1–60. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.752.1391
  • 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
  • Kiefer, A. & Helversen, O. V. 2004. Plecotus kolombatovici (Đulić, 1980) – Balkanlangohr. In Krapp, F. Handbuch der Säugetiere Europas. Band 4: Fledertiere. Teil II: Chiroptera II. Vespertilionidae 2, Molossidae, Nycteridae. Publisher. pp. 1059-1066.
  • Kollaros, D., Paragamian, K. & Legakis, A. 1991. Revision of the genus Troglophilus (Orthoptera, Raphidophoridae) in Crete, Greece. Int. J. Speleol., 20: 37-45.
  • Lindberg, K. 1953. Cyclopides (Crustacés Copépodes) de la Grèce. Prak. hellen. hydrobiol. Inst., 6 (2): 19-40.
  • Lindberg, K. 1956. Cyclopides (Crustacés copépodes) de Crète avec un liste de Crustacés divers recueillis dans de lac de Kourna. Acta Mus. Macedonici Sci. Nat., 4 (5): 97-120.
  • Martens, J. 1967. Plecotus austriacus (Fischer) auf Kreta; mit Bemerkungen zu weiteren Arten (Mammalia, Chiroptera). Bonn. Zool. Beitr., 18 (3-4): 253-362.
  • Omodeo, P. 1956. Oligocheti dell΄ Indochina e del Mediterraneo Orientale. Mem. Mus. Civ. St. Nat. Verona, 5: 321-336.
  • Pieper, H. 1977. Fledermäuse aus Schleiereulen-Gewöllen von der Insel Kreta. Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde, 42 (1): 7-12.
  • Roewer, C. F. 1928. XI. Araneae. Zoologische Streifzüge in Attika, Morea und besonders auf der Insel Kreta II. Publisher, Bremen. pp. 92-124.
  • Roewer, C. F. 1943. Über eine neuerworbene Sammlung von Skorpionen des Natur - Museums Senckenberg. Senckenbergiana, 26 (4): 205-244.
  • Roewer, C. F. 1959. Die Araneae, Solifuga und Opiliones der Sammlungen des Herrn Dr. K. Lindberg aus Griechenland, Creta, Anatolien, Iran und Indien. Göteborgs kungl. vet. vitterh. Samh. Handl., 8 (4): 3-47.
  • Schmalfuss, H. 1972. Die Isopoden von Kreta. Biol. gallo-hellen., 4 (1): 33-60.
  • Schmalfuss, H. 1975. Neues Isopoden-Material aus Griechenland. Sber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-naturw. Kl. Abt. I, 184: 27-66.
  • Schmalfuss, H. 1979. Revidierte Check-List der Landisopoden (Oniscoidea) Griechenlands. Stuttgart. Beitr. Naturk. Ser. A. (Biol.), 331: 1-42.
  • Schmalfuss, H. 2005. The terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea) of Greece. 22nd contribution: Genus Monocyphoniscus (Trichoniscidae).. Stuttgart. Beitr. Naturk. Ser. A. (Biol.) 685:1–12
  • Schmalfuss, H., Paragamian, K. & Sfenthourakis, S. 2004. The terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea) of Crete and the surrounding islands. Stuttgart. Beitr. Naturk. Ser. A. (Biol.), 662: 1-74.
  • Senglet, A. 1971. Note sur les Pholcidae de Grèce. Mitt. schweiz. ent. Ges., 44: 345-359.
  • Senglet, A. 2001. Copulatory mechanisms in Hoplopholcus, Stygopholcus (revalidated), Pholcus, Spermophora and Spermophorides (Araneae, Pholcidae), with additional faunistic and taxonomic data. Mitt. schweiz. ent. Ges., 74: 43-67.
  • Strasser, K. 1967. Über Diplopoden Griechenlands, einiger Ägäis Inseln und Zyprers. Senckenbergiana biol., 48 (4): 269-293.
  • Vandel, A. 1958. Isopodes récoltés dans les grottes de la Crète par le Docteur K. Lindberg. Notes biospeol., 12 (2): 81-101.
  • Wolf, B. 1937. Animalium Cavernarum Catalogus. II. - Cavernarum Catalogus. Junk Verl., Wien (1934-1937). pp. 616.
  • Wolf, B. 1938. Animalium Cavernarum Catalogus. III. - Animalium Catalogus. Junk Verl., Wien (1934-1938). pp. 918.
  • Zapparoli, M. 2002. A catalogue of the centipedes from Greece (Chilopoda). Fragm. Entomol., 34 (1): 1-146.
Citation
Paragamian, K. 2026. Fauna of the cave Spilaio Agias Sofias, Topolia, Kissamos, Kriti. In Paragamian, K., M. Poulinakis, S. Paragamian and I. Nikoloudakis. Cave fauna of Greece database - Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research. Cave data updated 14.02.2024, Accessed 19.04.2026