Spilaio Dafnis

Higher Geography
Region: Sterea Ellada,
Sub-Region: Fokida,
Municipality: Delfoi,
Closest Settlement: Athanasios Diakos
Cave Synonyms
Spilaio Athanasiou Diakou
Cave type
Natural
Description / Comments

A small cave that opens on the eastern slope of Mt. Vardousia at the side of the dirt road that links Athanasios Diakos to Dafni. The cave is about 20-30 m long and consists of a single room. Di Russo et al. 2014 mention another unnamed cave at Mount Vardousia (1,110m asl) where Dolichopoda lustriae was collected by P. M. Giachino and D. Vailati on 10.VI.2005. This is probably the same cave. The location and the sort description of Dafni cave provided by Alexiou et al. 2014, matches with the cave of Athanasios Diakos, described by Petrochilou 1992.

Protection status
  • GR2450001 - Ori Vardousia (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
  • GR2450008 - Oros Vardousia (Special Protection Area): 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
  • Dolichopoda lustriae Rampini & Di Russo, 2008, Alexiou et al. 2014, Di Russo et al. 2014
    Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Orthoptera / Family: Rhaphidophoridae
Cave references
  • Petrocheilou, A. 1992. The cave “Athanasiou Diakou” of Ano Mousounitsa, Parnassida, Fokida: (CRNr 7532). Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce 20:98–100.
Species references
  • Alexiou, S., Bakolitsas, K., Di Russo, C. & Latella, L. 2014. Biospeleolocal notes on the caves of the Parnassos, Giona and Vardousia of mountains (Central Greece). Parnassiana Archives, 2: 71-81.
  • 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.
Citation
Paragamian, K. 2026. Fauna of the cave Spilaio Dafnis, Athanasios Diakos, Delfoi, Sterea Ellada. In Paragamian, K., M. Poulinakis, S. Paragamian and I. Nikoloudakis. Cave fauna of Greece database - Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research. Cave data updated 12.12.2023, Accessed 19.04.2026