Spilaio Mikrolimnis

Higher Geography
Region: Dytiki Makedonia,
Sub-Region: Florina,
Municipality: Prespes,
Closest Settlement: Mikrolimni
Cave type
Natural
Description / Comments

A small cave near Mikrolimni. The entrance is 4 m wide and 1 m high and ¾ of it are blocked by large stones and rocks. Behind the entrance, there is a small chamber 3 m long and 6 m wide. After 6 m downwards, there is the main chamber of the cave which has a maximum length of 10 m, a maximum width of 17 m and a maximum height of 3 m. Its total length is 20 m and reaches a depth of 9 m below the entrance level.

Protection status
  • GR1340001 - Ethnikos Drymos Prespon (Special Protection Area - 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
  • Mediterranea hydatina (Rossmässler, 1838), Karakasi et al. 2024
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Oxychilidae
  • Morlina glabra (Rossmässler, 1835), Karakasi et al. 2024
    Phylum: Mollusca / Class: Gastropoda / Order: Stylommatophora / Family: Oxychilidae
  • Rhinolophus blasii Peters, 1866, Papadatou et al. 2011, Papadatou et al. 2012, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus euryale Blasius, 1853, Papadatou et al. 2011, Papadatou et al. 2012, Uhrin et al. 2020, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774), Papadatou et al. 2011, Papadatou et al. 2012, Uhrin et al. 2020, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
  • Rhinolophus hipposideros (André, 1797), Papadatou et al. 2011, Papadatou et al. 2012, Uhrin et al. 2020, Georgiakakis et al. 2023
    Phylum: Chordata / Class: Mammalia / Order: Chiroptera / Family: Rhinolophidae
Cave references
  • Paragamian, K. 1992. The cave of Mikrolimni Prespon, Florina. Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce 20:245–246.
Species references
  • 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
  • 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
  • Papadatou, E., Grémillet, X. & Bego, F. 2011. Status survey and conservation action plan for the bats of Prespa. Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP), Agios Germanos. pp. 170.
  • Papadatou E., Grémillet X., Bego F. 2012. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan for Caves and Bats of Prespa. Final report in the framework of the project “Landscape Scale Conservation in the Prespa Lake Basin – Transboundary Species and Habitat Conservation Action Plans.”, pp 54
  • Uhrin M, Balogova M, Uhrinova R, Vargova V. 2020. Bats of the Prespa Basin in northern Greece: acoustic survey, new records and relationships to light pollution (Chiroptera).. Lynx, n. s. (Praha) 51:147–191
Citation
Paragamian, K. 2026. Fauna of the cave Spilaio Mikrolimnis, Mikrolimni, Prespes, Dytiki Makedonia. 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 09.03.2026