MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS OF THE ARGYNNINAE ( LEPIDOPTERA, NYMPHALIDAE)

The phylogenetic relationships of 19 European species of the subfamily Argynninae were studied using electrophoresis at 12 presumptive enzym e loci and by sequencing of a segment spanning 445 bp at the mtDNA ND1 locus. Both types of markers show that the genera defined by systemat ics using morphological characters correspond to monophyletic assembla ges. At the upper classification level of tribes, mtDNA appears to be a better evolutionary marker than enzymes. Even though the molecular m ethods employed satisfactorily defined the phyletic relations among Bo loriidi, they failed to clearly unravel them within the Argynnidi, whi ch have probably undergone an ancient and rapid evolutionary radiation . The genus Issoria, which is attributed to the Argynnidi using morpho logical characters, is assigned to the Boloriidi by molecular data.