title: Karyosystematics and molecular taxonomy of the anomalous blue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) from the Balkan Peninsula.
abstract: The Balkan Peninsula represents one of the hottest biodiversity spots in Europe. However, the invertebrate fauna of this region is still insufficiently investigated, even in respect of such well-studied organisms as Lepidoptera. Here we use a combination of chromosomal, molecular and morphological markers to rearrange the group of so-called anomalous blue butterflies (also known as 'brown complex' of the subgenus Agrodiaetus Hübner, [1822] and as the Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) admetus (Esper, 1783) species group) and to reveal its cryptic taxonomic structure. We demonstrate thatPolyommatus aroaniensis(Brown, 1976) is not as widespread in the Balkans as was previously thought. In fact, it has a dot-like distribution range restricted to the Peloponnese Peninsula in South Greece.Polyommatus orphicusKolev, 2005 is not as closely related to the Turkish speciesPolyommatus dantchenkoi(Lukhtanov & Wiemers, 2003) as was supposed earlier. Instead, it is a Balkan endemic represented by two subspecies:Polyommatus orphicus orphicus(Bulgaria) andPolyommatus orphicus eleniaeCoutsis & De Prins, 2005 (Northern Greece).Polyommatus ripartii(Freyer, 1830) is represented in the Balkans by an endemic subspeciesPolyommatus ripartii pelopi. The traditionally recognizedPolyommatus admetus(Esper, 1783) is shown to be a heterogeneous complex and is divided intoPolyommatus admetussensu stricto (the Balkans and west Turkey) andPolyommatus yeranyani(Dantchenko & Lukhtanov, 2005) (east Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran).Polyommatus nephohiptamenos(Brown & Coutsis, 1978) is confirmed to be a species with a dot-like distribution range in Northern Greece. Finally, from Central Greece (Timfristos and Parnassos mountains) we describePolyommatus timfristosLukhtanov, Vishnevskaya & Shapoval,sp. n.which differs by its haploid chromosome number (n=38) from the closely related and morphologically similarPolyommatus aroaniensis(n=47-48) andPolyommatus orphicus(n=41-42). We provide chromosomal evidence for three separate south Balkan Pleistocene refugia (Peloponnesse, Central Greece and Northern Greece/South Bulgaria) and stress the biogeographic importance of Central Greece as a place of diversification. Then we argue that the data obtained have direct implications for butterfly karyology, taxonomy, biogeography and conservation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Karyosystematics, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; Department of Entomology, St Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Maria S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Vishnevskaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytology and Histology, St Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Alsu F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Saifitdinova
authors.affiliation: Department of Karyosystematics, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; Department of Entomology, St Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Vladimir A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Lukhtanov
keywords: Agrodiaetus; COI; DNA barcode; ITS2; Polyommatus timfristos sp. n.; biodiversity; chromosome; conservation; cryptic species; karyotype; mitochondrial marker; protected species; red list