Spilaio Maroneias

Higher Geography

Region: Anatoliki Makedonia-Thraki,
Sub-Region: Rodopi,
Municipality: Maroneia - Sapes,
Closest Settlement: Maroneia

Cave Synonyms

Spilaio Kyklopa Polyfimou

Cave type

Natural

Description / Comments

The cave of Maroneia is located 5 km west of the homonymous settlement, at the location "Koufou Plai" or "Koufoplati", on the eastern slope of Mount Ismaros. The cave is s developed in a thin layer of Eocene nummulitic limestones which have a fragmented appearance in the wider area.  The cave has two entrances. The main entrance measures 3.5*1.5m and divides the cave into two sections, a left (NE) entrance with a total length of 240m, and a right (NW) entrance with a total length of 160m. On the NE side of the northern part of the cave, there is a second entrance of smaller dimensions. The cave has an average width of 30m, an average height of 6m, a maximum depth of 20m and occupies a total area of about 1ha (Petrocheilou 1970 & 1984). 

Protection status

• Archaeological Site - Ministerial Decision 17176/696/19-6-1979 (OGG 731/Β/30-8-1979)
• GR1130008 - Maroneia - Spilaion (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

• Alpioniscus thracicus Andreev, 1986, Andreev 1986, Andreev & Bozarova 2000, Beron et al. 2004, Paragamian et al. 2004, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Isopoda / Family: Trichoniscidae
• Amphipyra effusa Boisduval, 1828, Beron et al. 2004, Beshkov & Wegner 2004, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Lepidoptera / Family: Noctuidae
• Balcanodiscus cerberus A. Riedel, 1985, Riedel 1985a, Reischütz 1986, Reischütz 1988, Riedel 1988b, Riedel 1992, Riedel 1996, Beron et al. 2004, Paragamian et al. 2004, Erőss et al. 2011, Beron 2016, Karakasi et al. 2024
  Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Zonitidae
• Centromerus milleri Deltshev, 1974, Beron et al. 2004, Gasparo 2005b, Beron 2016, Naumova et al. 2016, Mammola et al. 2019
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Linyphiidae
• Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber, 1774), Georgiakakis et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
• Helix lucorum Linnaeus, 1758, Karakasi et al. 2024
  Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Helicidae
• Leptonetela thracia Gasparo, 2005, Gasparo 2005b, Wang & Li 2011, Beron 2016, Naumova et al. 2016, Mammola et al. 2017, Wang et al. 2017, Ledford et al. 2021, Ramirez et al. 2021
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Leptonetidae
• Ligidium germanicum Verhoeff, 1901, Andreev 1986, Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Isopoda / Family: Ligiidae
• Limacus flavus (Linnaeus, 1758), Karakasi et al. 2024
  Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Limacidae
• Limax graecus Simroth, 1889, Karakasi et al. 2024
  Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Limacidae
• Lithobius viriatus Sseliwanoff, 1880, Matic & Stavropoulos 1988, Zapparoli 2002, Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Chilopoda / Order: Lithobiomorpha / Family: Lithobiidae
• Maroniella beroni Casale & Giachino, 1985, Casale & Giachino 1985, Casale et al. 1990, Casale & Giachino 1993, Beron et al. 2004, Guéorguiev 2004, Beron 2016, Fresneda et al. 2024
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Leiodidae
• Meta bourneti Simon, 1922, Naumova et al. 2016, Mammola et al. 2019
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Tetragnathidae
• Meta menardi (Latreille, 1804), Beron et al. 2004, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Tetragnathidae
• Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817), Ivanova 2000, Hanak et al. 2001, Paragamian et al. 2004, Bilgin et al. 2008, Bilgin 2012, Gardiner et al. 2014, Beron 2016, Benda et al. 2019, Georgiakakis et al. 2023, Moulistanos et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Miniopteridae
• Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857), Ivanova 2000, Hanak et al. 2001, Ivanova & Gueorguieva 2004, Paragamian et al. 2004, Gardiner et al. 2014, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
• Myotis capaccinii (Bonaparte, 1837), Ivanova 2000, Hanak et al. 2001, Paragamian et al. 2004, Bilgin 2012, Gardiner et al. 2014, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
• Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797), Hanak et al. 2001, Paragamian et al. 2004, Gardiner et al. 2014, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023, Moulistanos et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
• Niphargus sp., Beron 1987, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Amphipoda / Family: Niphargidae
• Plecotus austriacus (Fischer, 1829), Paragamian et al. 2004
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
• Plusiocampa sp., Sendra et al. 2020a
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Entognatha / Order: Diplura / Family: Campodeidae
• Rhinolophus blasii Peters, 1866, Hanak et al. 2001, Paragamian et al. 2004, Gardiner et al. 2014, Beron 2016, Benda et al. 2019, Georgiakakis et al. 2023, Moulistanos et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
• Rhinolophus euryale Blasius, 1853, Hanak et al. 2001, Ivanova & Gueorguieva 2004, Paragamian et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023, Moulistanos et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
• Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774), Hanak et al. 2001, Paragamian et al. 2004, Bilgin 2012, Beron 2016, Benda et al. 2019, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
• Rhinolophus hipposideros (André, 1797), Hanak et al. 2001, Paragamian et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Benda et al. 2019, Benda et al. 2022, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
• Rhinolophus mehelyi Matschie, 1901, Hanak et al. 2001, Ivanova & Gueorguieva 2004, Paragamian et al. 2004, Beron 2016, Benda et al. 2019, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
  Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
• Tandonia totevi (Wiktor, 1975), Karakasi et al. 2024, Karakasi et al. 2024
  Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Milacidae
• Tegenaria faniapollinis Brignoli, 1978, Deltshev 2008a, Bolzern 2010, Bolzern et al. 2013, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Agelenidae
• Tegenaria sp., Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Agelenidae
• Trechus austriacus Dejean, 1831, Beron et al. 2004, Guéorguiev 2004, Beron 2016
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Carabidae

Cave references

• Petrocheilou, A. 1970. The cave “Kyklopos Polyfimou” of Maroneia, Komotini (CRNr 755). Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce 10:9–17.
• Petrocheilou, A. 1984. The Greek Caves. Ekdotiki Athinon 160pp.

Species references

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• 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.
• Benda, P., Ševčík, M., Bego, F., Sachanowicz, K., Spitzenberger, F., Tájek, P., Tájková, P., Uhrin, M. 2019. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Part 15. The fauna of bats and bat ectoparasites of Albania with a catalogue of bats from the western Balkans in the collection of the National Museum, Prague. Acta Soc. Zool. Bohem. 83: 1–238
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• Beron, P. 1987. Results of the studies of the cave fauna of Greece. Biol. gallo-hellen., 12: 125-131.
• 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 Beron, P. and Popov, A. (editors) Biodiversity of Bulgaria 2. Biodiversity of eastern Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece). Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia.
• 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
• Bolzern, A. 2010. Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Tegenaria- Malthonica -complex (Araneae, Agelenidae), using morphological and molecular data.. PHD Thesis. Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Switzerland, 292pp
• Bolzern, A., Burckhardt, D. & Hänggi, A. 2013. Phylogeny and taxonomy of European funnel-web spiders of the Tegenaria-Malthonica complex (Araneae: Agelenidae) based upon morphological and molecular data. Zool. J. Linn. Soc., 168 (4): 723-848.
• Casale, A. & Giachino, P. M. 1985. Nuovi Bathysciinae (Coleoptera, Catopidae) di Grecia e di Turchia. Boll. Mus. Reg. Sci. Nat. Torino, 3 (1): 221-234.
• Casale, A. & Giachino, P. M. 1993. Distribution and biogeography of the subterranean Coleoptera (Insecta) in northeastern Greece. Biol. gallo-hellen., 20 (1): 231-238.
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• Deltshev, C. 2008. Two new spider species, Malthonica bozhkovi sp. nov. and Tegenaria paragamiani sp. nov. from Rhodopy Mountains (Bulgaria and Greece) (Araneae: Agelenidae). Zootaxa, 1872: 37-44.
• Erőss, Z. P., Fehér, Z. & Páll-Gergely, B. 2011. A new species of Balcanodiscus Riedel & Urbanski, 1964 (Gastriopoda: Pulmonata: Zonitidae) from northeastern Greece. Journal of Conchology, 40 (6): 577-581.
• Fresneda J, Giachino P M, Salgado J M, Faille A, Bourdeau C, Cieslak A e Ribera I. 2024. A phylogenetic classification of Leptodirini (Coleoptera, Leiodidae, Cholevinae). Memorie della Società Entomologica Italiana, 101(1): 3–936. doi: 10.4081/memoriesei.2024.3.
• Gardiner J.D., Altringham J.D., Papadatou E. and Nudds R.L. 2014. Excepting Myotis capaccinii, the wings’ contribution to take-off performance does not correlate with foraging ecology in six species of insectivorous bat. Biology Open, 2014(3):1057-1062
• Gasparo, F. 2005. Una nuova Leptonetela cavernicola di Grecia (Araneae, Leptonetidae). Boll. Mus. Reg. Sci. Nat. Torino, 22 (2): 517-524.
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• 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.
• 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
• Ledford J, Derkarabetian S, Ribera C, Starrett J, Bond J, Griswold C, Hedin M. 2021. Phylogenomics and biogeography of leptonetid spiders (Araneae: Leptonetidae).. Invertebrate Systematics, 35: 332–349
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• 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.
• Paragamian, K., Nikoloudakis, I., Papadatou, E., & Sfakianaki, E. 2004. Biological and Environmental Study of the Cave of Maroneia: Analysis of current status - Proposals. Final Report.. Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research, Irakleion, Greece, 176 pp.
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• Sendra A., Antić D., Barranco P., Borko Š., Christian E., Delić T., Fadrique F., Faille A., Galli L., Gasparo F., Georgiev D., Giachino P.M., Kováč L., Lukić M., Marcia P., Miculinić K., Nicolosi G., Palero F., Paragamian K., Pérez T., Polak S., Prieto C. 2020. Flourishing in subterranean ecosystems: Euro-Mediterranean Plusiocampinae and tachycampoids (Diplura, Campodeidae). European Journal of Taxonomy 591: 1–138. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2020.591
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Citation

Paragamian, K. 2026. Fauna of the cave Spilaio Maroneias, Maroneia, Maroneia - Sapes, 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 10.02.2026, Accessed 03.04.2026