Spilaio Limnon

Higher Geography
Region: Dytiki Ellada,
Sub-Region: Achaia,
Municipality: Kalavryta,
Closest Settlement: Kastria
Cave Synonyms
Cave of Kastria, Cave of Lakes, Spilaio Kastrion
Cave type
Natural
Description / Comments

Beron (2016) reports Lithobius forficatus, which is considered here Eupolybothrus litoralis

Protection status
  • Archaeological Site - Ministerial Decision 8617/323/11-3-1985 (OGG 163/Β/28-3-1985)
  • GR2320009 - Spilaio Kastrion (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 richii (Gray, 1832), Strasser 1976
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Diplopoda / Order: Callipodida / Family: Schizopetalidae
  • Anemadus pellitus Reitter, 1885, Giachino & Vailati 1993, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Leiodidae
  • Chthonius ponticoides Mahnert, 1975, Mahnert 1975, Harvey 1991, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Pseudoscorpionida / Family: Chthoniidae
  • Dolichopoda matsakisi Boudou-Saltet, 1972, Boudou-Saltet 1972b, Willemse 1984, Allegrucci et al. 2011, Di Russo et al. 2014, Beron 2016, Allegrucci et al. 2021
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Orthoptera / Family: Rhaphidophoridae
  • Dolichopoda sp., Allegrucci et al. 2011
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Orthoptera / Family: Rhaphidophoridae
  • Doraegopis sp., Riedel 1982, Riedel 1986, Bank & Menkhorst 1988, Riedel 1992, Beron 2016, Karakasi et al. 2024
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Zonitidae
  • Eukoenenia juberthiei Condé, 1974, Condé 1975, Condé 1979b, Beron 2016, Mammola et al. 2021
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Palpigradi / Family: Eukoeneniidae
  • Eupolybothrus litoralis (L. Koch, 1867), Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Chilopoda / Order: Lithobiomorpha / Family: Lithobiidae
  • Histopona strinatii (Brignoli, 1976), Brignoli 1976, Brignoli 1979b, Deeleman-Reinhold 1983, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Beron 2016, Ballarin et al. 2020, Dolejš 2023
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Agelenidae
  • Laemostenus peloponnesiacus Casale, 1982, Casale 1982, Casale 1988, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Carabidae
  • Lindholmiola lens (A. Férussac, 1832), Subai & Neubert 2014
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Helicodontidae
  • Lumbricus sp., Beron 2016
    Phylum: Annelida / Class: Clitellata / Order: Crassiclitellata / Family: Lumbricidae
  • Micropterna fissa McLachlan, 1875, Malicky 2005
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Trichoptera / Family: Limnephilidae
  • Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817), Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1977, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki & Ondrias 1978, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1983b, Hanak et al. 2001, Beron 2016, Wright et al. 2020, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Miniopteridae
  • Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857), Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1977, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1983a, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1983b, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1984, Hanak et al. 2001, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Myotis capaccinii (Bonaparte, 1837), Hanak et al. 2001, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797), Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1977, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1983b, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki & Giagia 1984, Hanak et al. 2001, Ruedi & Castella 2003, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Niphargus sp., Bou 1975, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Malacostraca / Order: Amphipoda / Family: Niphargidae
  • Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817), Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Vespertilionidae
  • Oecanthus pellucens (Scopoli, 1763), Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Orthoptera / Family: Gryllidae
  • Opilio parietinus (De Geer, 1778), Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Opiliones / Family: Phalangiidae
  • Prionoglaris dactyloides Lienhard, 1988, Lienhard 1988b, Badonnel & Lienhard 1994, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Psocoptera / Family: Prionoglarididae
  • Pseudosinella sp., Iliopoulou-Georgudaki & Economou-Amilli 1991, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Entognatha / Order: Entomobryomorpha / Family: Entomobryidae
  • Pterostichus niger (Schaller, 1783), Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Coleoptera / Family: Carabidae
  • Rhinolophus blasii Peters, 1866, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus euryale Blasius, 1853, Hanak et al. 2001, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774), Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1977, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1983b, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki & Ondrias 1986, Hanak et al. 2001, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus hipposideros (André, 1797), Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus mehelyi Matschie, 1901, Strinati 1955, Ondrias 1965, Iliopoulou-Georgudaki 1977, Hanak et al. 2001, Beron 2016, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Roncus lubricus L. Koch, 1873, Mahnert 1975, Mahnert & Gardini 2014, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Pseudoscorpionida / Family: Neobisiidae
  • Schistophallus samius (E. von Martens, 1889), Riedel 1986, Riedel 1992, Riedel 1996, Beron 2016, Karakasi et al. 2024
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Oxychilidae
  • Sulcia cretica Fage, 1945, Brignoli 1976, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Leptonetidae
  • Tarnania dziedzickii (Edwards, 1941), Chandler et al. 2005
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Mycetophilidae
  • Tegenaria domestica (Clerck, 1757), Brignoli 1976, Brignoli 1979b, Bosmans & Chatzaki 2005, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Arachnida / Order: Araneae / Family: Agelenidae
  • Telomerina flavipes (Meigen, 1830), Papp 1978, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Sphaeroceridae
  • Tipula oleracea Linnaeus, 1758, Beron 2016
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Diptera / Family: Tipulidae
Cave references
  • Papanagiotou, I. 1965. The cave Limnon of Kastria. To Vouno Greek Mountaineering Club. 1–2:39–48.
  • Petrocheilou, A. 1984. The Greek Caves. Ekdotiki Athinon 160pp.
  • Petrocheilou, A. 1974. The cave “Limnon” of Kastria, Kalavryta (CRNr 3479). Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce 12:217–222.
  • Petrocheilou, A. 1967. The cave “Ton Limnon” (CRNr 3479). Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce 9:89–100.
Species references
  • Allegrucci, G., Trucchi, E. & Sbordoni, V. 2011. Tempo and mode of species diversification in Dolichopoda cave crickets (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 60 (1): 108-121.
  • Allegrucci G, Rampini M, Chimenti C, Alexiou S & Di Russo C. 2021. Dolichopoda cave crickets from Peloponnese (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae): molecular and morphological investigations reveal four new species for Greece. The European Zoological Journal, 88(1): 505-524, DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2021.1902005
  • Badonnel, A. & Lienhard, C. 1994. Psocoptera. In Juberthie, C.;Decu, V. Encyclopaedia Biospeologica I. Publisher. pp. 301-305.
  • 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
  • Bank, R. A. & Menkhorst, H. P. M. G. 1988. Eine neue Doraegopis-Art von Euboea, Griechenland (Gastropoda Pulmonata: Zonitidae). Basteria, Lisse, 52 (4/6): 147-150.
  • 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.
  • Bou, C. 1975. Recherches sur la faune des eaux souterraines de Grèce. Biol. gallo-hellen., 6 (1): 101-115.
  • Boudou-Saltet, P. 1972. Les Dolichopodes (Orth. Rhaph.) de Grèce V. Deux nouvelles espèces: Dolichopoda naxia et D. steriotisi. Biol. gallo-hellen., 4 (1): 99-108.
  • Brignoli, P. M. 1976. Ragni di Grecia IX. Specie nuove o interessanti delle famiglie Leptonetidae, Dysderidae, Pholcidae ed Agelenidae (Araneae). Rev. suisse Zool., 83 (3): 539-578.
  • Brignoli, P. M. 1979. Considérations zoogéographiques sur les Araignées cavernicoles de Grèce. Biol. gallo-hellen., 8: 223-236.
  • Casale, A. 1982. Nuovi Carabidi del Marocco, di Grecia e di Papua-Nuova Guinea (Coleoptera). Rev. suisse Zool., 89 (1): 229-244.
  • Casale, A. 1988. Revisione degli Sphodrina (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Sphordini). Monographia V. Boll. Mus. reg. Sci. Nat. Torino. pp. 1012.
  • Chandler, P.J., Bechev, D.N. & Caspers, N. 2005. The Fungus Gnats (Diptera: Bolitophilidae, Diadocidiidae, Ditomyiidae, Keroplatidae and Mycetophilidae) of Greece, its islands and Cyprus. Studia Dipterologica, 12(2): 255–314
  • Condé, B. 1975. Les Palpigrades du Muséum d΄ Histoire naturelle de Genève. Rev. suisse Zool., 82 (3): 507-513.
  • Condé, B. 1979. Palpigrades de Grèce, de Guyane et du Kenya. Rev. suisse Zool., 86 (1): 167-179.
  • Deeleman-Reinhold, C. L. 1983. The genus Histopona Thorel (Araneae, Agelenidae), with description of two new cave-dwelling species. Mem. Biospeol., 10: 325-338.
  • Di Russo, C., Rampini, M. & Cobolli, M. 2014. The cave crickets of Greece: a contribution to the study of Southern Balkan Rhaphidophoridae diversity (Orthoptera), with the description of a new species of Troglophilus Krauss , 1879. Biodiversity Journal, 5 (3): 397-420.
  • Dolejš P. 2023. A historical collection of Greek spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the National Museum of the Czech Republic. Arachnologische Mitteilungen: Arachnology Letters, 66 (1): 17-23. DOI: 10.30963/aramit6603
  • 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
  • Giachino, P. M. & Vailati, D. 1993. Revisione degli Anemadinae Hatch, 1928 (Coleoptera Cholevidae). Mus. Civ. di Storia naturale di Brescia, Mon. di «Natura Bresciana», 18: 1-313.
  • 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.
  • Harvey, M.S. 1991. Catalogue of the Pseudoscorpionida.. Manchester University Press, 726 pp.
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. & Economou-Amilli, A. 1991. Ecological study and management of the cave “Limnon” Peloponnesus, Greece. Mem. Biospeol., 18 (45): 93-97.
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. & Giagia, E. B. 1984. Distribution Notes on Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797) (Chiroptera; Vespertilionidae) from Greece, including the Karyotype of Specimens from Lesvos Island. Säugetierk. Mitt., 31: 135-139.
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. & Ondrias, J. C. 1978. Population variation in Miniopterus schreibersi from Greece. Biol. gallo-hellen., 7 (1-2): 223-232.
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. & Ondrias, J. C. 1986. The greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774), in Greece, with description of a new subspecies. Occasional Papers, the Museum Texas Tech University., 102: 1-8.
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. 1977. Taxonomic study and geographical distribution of Chiroptera in Greece. PhD. Thesis. Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, University of Patra, Patra, 173 pp (in Greek)
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. 1983. A record of Chiropterofauna of the Greek caves. Proceedings of the International Meeting on the show caves and their problems. Publisher, Athens, September 1-3, 1983. pp. 224-228.
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. 1983. Bats parasites and their relations to human health. Proceedings of the International Meeting on the show caves and their problems. Publisher, Athens, September 1-3, 1983. pp. 237-243.
  • Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, J. 1984. Intraspecific and interpopulation morphologic variation in the sharp-eared bat, Myotis blytii (Tomes, 1857) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), from Greece . Bonn. Zool. Beitr., 35 (1/3): 15-24.
  • 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
  • Lienhard, C. 1988. Vorarbeiten zu einer Psocopteren-Fauna der Westpaläarktis : IV. die Gattung Prionoglaris Enderlein (Psocoptera : Prionoglarididae). Mitt. Schweiz. Entom. Ges. 61: 89-108
  • Mahnert, V. & Gardini, G. 2014. Cave-inhabiting pseudoscorpion species of the genus Roncus (Pseudoscorpiones: Neobisiidae) from western Greece, including the Ionian Islands. Arachnol. Mitt., 48: 28-37.
  • Mahnert, V. 1975. Griechische Höhlenpseudoskorpione. Rev. suisse Zool., 82 (1): 169-184.
  • Malicky H. 2005. Die Köcherfliegen Griechenlands (Trichoptera).. Denisia 17:1–240
  • Mammola S, Fernanda M, Rezende V, Marco S, Ferreira RL. 2021. Global distribution of microwhip scorpions (Arachnida: Palpigradi). Journal of Biogeography, 00:1–13.
  • Ondrias, J. C. 1965. Die Säugetiere Griechenlands. Säugetierk. Mitt., 13 (3): 109-127.
  • Papp, L. 1978. Some cavernicolous Diptera of the Geneva Museum. Rev. suisse Zool., 85 (1): 99-106.
  • Riedel, A. 1982. Die Gattungen Allaegopis Riedel und Doraegopis gen. n. (Gastropoda, Stylomatophora, Zonitidae). Malak. Abh. Mus. Tierkd., Dresden, 8 (1): 1-28.
  • Riedel, A. 1986. Eine neue Allaegopis - Art aus dem Peloponnes (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Zonitidae). Malak. Abh. Mus. Tierkd., Dresden, 11 (8): 87-91.
  • 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.
  • Ruedi M., & Castella V. 2003. Genetic consequences of the ice ages on nurseries of the bat Myotis myotis: a mitochondrial and nuclear survey. Molecular Ecology, 12(6): 1527–1540
  • Strasser, K. 1976. Über Diplopoda-Chilognatha Griechenlands II. Rev. suisse Zool., 83 (3): 579-645.
  • Strinati, P. 1955. Recherches biospeologiques en Attique. Stalactite, 5: 7-9.
  • Subai, P. & Neubert, E. 2014. Revision of the genus Lindholmiola Hesse , 1931 (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Helicodontidae). Contrib. Nat. Hist., 23: 1-94.
  • Willemse, F. 1984. Catalogue of the Orthoptera of Greece. Fauna Graeciae I. Hellenic Zoological Society. pp. 275.
  • Wright PGR, Newton J, Agnelli P, Budinski I, Di Salvo I, Flaquer C, Fulco A, Georgiakakis P, Martinoli A, Mas M, Mazija M, Mucedda M, Papadatou E, Petrov B, Rodrigues L, Mathews F, Russo D. 2020. Hydrogen isotopes reveal evidence of migration of Miniopterus schreibersii in Europe. BMC Ecol 20 (52): 1-7 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-020-00321-7
Citation
Paragamian, K. 2026. Fauna of the cave Spilaio Limnon, Kastria, Kalavryta, Dytiki Ellada. In Paragamian, K., M. Poulinakis, S. Paragamian and I. Nikoloudakis. Cave fauna of Greece database - Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research. Cave data updated 26.01.2021, Accessed 19.04.2026