Paralimni (Ougria)

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Paralimni (Ougria)

Paralimni is a lake of southern Greece at the borders of the prefectures of Viotia and Evia, in the administrative boundaries of the municipalities of Thiva and Chalkida. It is located next to Yliki and has on it an amount of beautiful white water lilies.

Its name is due to its proximity to the larger lakes of Kopaida and Yliki, with which it was united in the ancient times, and it is also referred to as Lake Uggria. The shape of the lake is oblong to a west-east direction, a maximum length of 8 km and a maximum width of 1.5 km.

Its northern long side is interrupted by Mount Ptoo, while from the south-east there are the hills of the Messapios Mountain (Ktypas). It is connected through a canal with Lake Yliki, located just 3 km to the southwest and the two lakes have an altitude difference of 33 meters.

Paralimni is a partially artificial lake, because of the waters that end up there from Kifissos and Copaida plain. It was known from the ancient times as Lake Trefia, or Trofia, as it was a fish farm for the inhabitants of the area.

At the southwest of the lake there is an extensive area full of white water lilies (Nymphaea alba). In the lake we found the Potamogeton crispus, P. nodosus, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Miriophyllum spicatum.

Close to the shore there are several interesting species such as Astragalus spruneri, Anagyris foetida, Bellevalia ciliata, Bellevalia hyacinthoides, Anemone coronaria, Hedysarum spinosissimum, Bouglossoides incrassata, Iris tuberosus, Globularia alypum , the rare Hyacinthella atschley leucophea, Stachys spruneri, Blackstonia acuminata, Hypericum empetrifolium, Dorycnium hirsutum, Tragopodon porrifolius and Ophrys calocaerina orchids, O. sicula, O. leochroma, O. perpusilla, O. mammosa, O Attica, Serapias vomeracea, Anacamptis pyramidalis, A. fragrans, A. papilionacea and Neotinea commutate.

The lake's waters host various species of birds, mainly storks, raptors, reptiles and mammals.

You will also find 10 species of fishes, some of which are extremely rare, such as Scardinius graecus, Luciobarbus graecus, Rutilus ylikiensis, Pelasgus marathonicus and Telestes beoticus. Other species are Anguilla anguilla, Cyprinus carpio, Silurus aristotelis and Ctenopharyngodon idella, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis.