Taxonomic interpretation of chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA variability in the species complex close to Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) dama (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae).

In this paper, by using combination of molecular and chromosomal markers, populations of Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) karindus (Riley, 1921) from north-west and central Iran are analyzed. It has been found that taxon usually identified as Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) karindus is represented in Iran by two geographically separated groups of individuals, strongly differentiated by their karyotypes and mitochondrial haplotypes. It is demonstrated that populations from NW Iran have the haploid chromosome number n = 68, while the haploid chromosome number of Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) karindus from central Iran is found to be n = 73. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these groups also differ by at least eight nucleotide substitutions in a 690 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene and form separated groups of clusters in Bayesian inference tree. Thus, population entities from central Iran are described here as a new subspecies Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) karindus saravandi ssp. n. Strong chromosomal and molecular differentiation are confirmed between Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) karindus and its sister species, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) dama (Staudinger, 1892).