Molecular genetics study of some Caucasian representatives of the genus Kretania Beuret, 1959 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) with the description of a new species

• Main Authors: B.V. Stradomsky, V.V. Tikhonov
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russian Academy of Science. Southern Scientific Centre. Federal Research Centre 2015-08-01
• Series: Кавказский энтомологический бюллетень
• Subjects: Lepidoptera; Lycaenidae; Kretania; molecular genetic markers; new species
• Online Access: http://www.ssc-ras.ru/files/files/30_Stradomsky%20VV%20Tikhonov.pdf

Molecular genetic investigations of the Kretania pylaon species group populations from the Caucasus, North Eastern Turkey and Iran are made. Specimens from Turkey, Southern Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan (Talysh Mountains) have similar COI nucleotide sequences and belong to one species. The oldest name for this species is Plebeius sephirus modicus Verity, 1935. Species rank for this taxon is established: Kretania modica (Verity, 1935), stat. n. Populations from eastern part of the Big Caucasus (Dagestan, North Eastern Azerbaijan, Eastern Georgia) have different from other representatives of Kretania sequences of COI and nuclear ITS2 molecular markers. New species Kretania stekolnikovi sp.  n. is described for these populations. Populations from the Western Caucasus have not genetic differences from Romanian specimens and belong to Kretania sephirus (Frivaldsky, 1835).