| 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 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.
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