03386nas a2200289 4500008004100000245013000041210006900171490000700240520249000247653001602737653001702753653001502770653000802785653001702793653002002810653001602830653000902846653001402855653002502869653003402894653002202928653001302950100002802963700002802991700002703019856005003046 2016 eng d00aKaryosystematics and molecular taxonomy of the anomalous blue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) from the Balkan Peninsula0 aKaryosystematics and molecular taxonomy of the anomalous blue bu0 v103 a

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 that P. 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 orphicus Kolev, 2005 is not as closely related
to the Turkish species P. dantchenkoi (Lukhtanov & Wiemers, 2003) as was supposed earlier. Instead, it
is a Balkan endemic represented by two subspecies: P. orphicus orphicus (Bulgaria) and P. orphicus eleniae
Coutsis & De Prins, 2005 (Northern Greece). Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) is represented in the
Balkans by an endemic subspecies P. ripartii pelopi. The traditionally recognized P. admetus (Esper, 1783) is
shown to be a heterogeneous complex and is divided into Polyommatus admetus sensu stricto (the Balkans
and west Turkey) and P. yeranyani (Dantchenko & Lukhtanov, 2005) (east Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Iran). Polyommatus nephohiptamenos (Brown & Coutsis, 1978) is confirmed to be a species with a dotlike
distribution range in Northern Greece. Finally, from Central Greece (Timfristos and Parnassos moun-tains) we describe Polyommatus timfristos Lukhtanov, Vishnevskaya & Shapoval, sp. n. which differs by its

haploid chromosome number (n=38) from the closely related and morphologically similar P. aroaniensis
(n=47-48) and P. 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.

10aAgrodiaetus10abiodiversity10achromosome10aCOI10aconservation10acryptic species10aDNA barcode10aITS210akaryotype10amitochondrial marker10aPolyommatus timfristos sp. n.10aprotected species10ared list1 aVishnevskaya, Maria, S.1 aLukhtanov, Vladimir, A.1 aSaifitdinova, Alsu, F. uhttps://lepidopteragr.myspecies.info/node/70403346nas a2200289 4500008004100000245013000041210006900171490000700240520245000247653001602697653001702713653001502730653000802745653001702753653002002770653001602790653000902806653001402815653002502829653003402854653002202888653001302910100002802923700002702951700002802978856005003006 2016 eng d00aKaryosystematics and molecular taxonomy of the anomalous blue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) from the Balkan Peninsula0 aKaryosystematics and molecular taxonomy of the anomalous blue bu0 v103 a

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 that P. 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 orphicus Kolev, 2005 is not as closely related
to the Turkish species P. dantchenkoi (Lukhtanov & Wiemers, 2003) as was supposed earlier. Instead, it
is a Balkan endemic represented by two subspecies: P. orphicus orphicus (Bulgaria) and P. orphicus eleniae
Coutsis & De Prins, 2005 (Northern Greece). Polyommatus ripartii (Freyer, 1830) is represented in the
Balkans by an endemic subspecies P. ripartii pelopi. The traditionally recognized P. admetus (Esper, 1783) is
shown to be a heterogeneous complex and is divided into Polyommatus admetus sensu stricto (the Balkans
and west Turkey) and P. yeranyani (Dantchenko & Lukhtanov, 2005) (east Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Iran). Polyommatus nephohiptamenos (Brown & Coutsis, 1978) is confirmed to be a species with a dotlike
distribution range in Northern Greece. Finally, from Central Greece (Timfristos and Parnassos moun-tains) we describe Polyommatus timfristos Lukhtanov, Vishnevskaya & Shapoval, sp. n. which differs by its haploid chromosome number (n=38) from the closely related and morphologically similar P. aroaniensis (n=47-48) and P. 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.

10aAgrodiaetus10abiodiversity10achromosome10aCOI10aconservation10acryptic species10aDNA barcode10aITS210akaryotype10amitochondrial marker10aPolyommatus timfristos sp. n.10aprotected species10ared list1 aVishnevskaya, Maria, S.1 aSaifitdinova, Alsu, F.1 aLukhtanov, Vladimir, A. uhttps://lepidopteragr.myspecies.info/node/694