Molecular Phylogeny and Taxonomy of the Butterfly Subtribe Scolitantidina with Special Focus on the Genera Pseudophilotes, Glaucopsyche and Iolana (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae).

ABSTRACT: The Palearctic blue butterfly genus Pseudophilotes Beuret, 1958 is not homogenous regarding the morphology of its genital structures. For this reason, some of its species have been considered to be representatives of other genera of the subtribe Scolitantidina (subfamily Polyommatinae). Here, we address these taxonomic problems by analyzing the phylogenetic relationships between the genera, subgenera, and species of this subtribe inferred via the analysis of five nuclear and two mitochondrial DNA sequences. We demonstrate that the enigmatic Asian species P. panope (Eversmann, 1851) belongs to the genus Pseudophilotes but not to Praephilotes Forster, 1938 or Palaeophilotes Forster, 1938 and does not represent the independent genus Inderskia Korshuno

SUBMITTER: Lukhtanov VA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9782982 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature