Sch nhofer a l (1 Ergebnisse)

A molecular genetic analysis of the cytochrome b gene (cyt b) revealed a monophyletic group of six widely separated but closely related haplotype clusters (4.8-21.4% distance values) among minute representatives of Trogulus Latreille, 1802 from the Balkan Peninsula. All representatives have in common a large penial stylus that is sickle-like and strongly curved to the right side (in ventral view). All representatives of the individual clusters differ slightly but distinctly by external morphology (size, bristles on legs and body, pattern of body papillae) and most of them to a lesser degree by male genital morphology. The genetically defined clusters are allopatrically distributed and we assign them species rank. according to the oldest available name this cyt b clade is here named the Trogulus hirtus species-group; it includes six species: T. hirtus Dahl, 1903 (raised from subspecies to species level; central Croatian coast from the Gulf of Kotor to the mouth of the neretva river), T. falcipenis Komposch, 2000 (NW Balkans from SE Carinthia to N Slovenia), T. karamanorum sp. nov. (central Balkans from SE Serbia and S Croatia to E Greece), T. thaleri sp. nov. (central Croatian coast, Makarska riviera), T. pharensis sp. nov. (central Croatian coast, Hvar Island) and T. melitensis sp. nov. (central Croatian coast, Mljet Island). They can be further separated into two distinct sub-clades, the Trogulus hirtus clade and the Trogulus falcipenis clade. The Trogulus tricarinatus species-group, which is also represented in the Balkans and which includes species of equally small size, is not closely related to the Trogulus hirtus species-group and not discussed here. To define species within the Trogulus hirtus species-group by external and genital morphology alone would lead to considerable underestimation of Trogulus diversity and species richness in the Balkans. New taxa: Trogulus pharensis n. sp., Trogulus melitensis n. sp. 45 pp., 15 figs, 8.…