Partial mtCOI-sequences of Balkanic species of Pseudochazara (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) reveal three well-differentiated lineages

In this paper we present ‘barcode’ haplotypes of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) of Pseudochazara
species (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) occurring in Balkan Peninsula. Our phylogenetic reconstruction indicates 3 well-differentiated
lineages within the 7 species: the ‘mamurra-group’ (Pseudochazara geyeri, P. graeca, P. amymone), the ‘mniszechii-group’ (P.
mniszechii, P. cingovskii, P. orestes) and a third lineage comprising only P. anthelea. In lineages containing multiple members,
the number of differences between pairs in nucleotide positions generally were considerably low: amymone-graeca: 1 (0.15%),
mniszechii-orestes: 2(0.30%), mniszechii-cingovskii: 3(0.46%) and orestes-cingovskii: 3 (0.46%). The genital studies of male
specimens largely supported the lineage relations mentioned above. The divergence of wing colouration could change much more
rapidly than that of mtCOI sequences, influenced by external environmental factors such as the colour of the substrate.