On the occurrence of Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) damon ([Denis & Schiffermüller]) in Iran (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Abstract

We investigated the accuracy of a century-old record of Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) damon ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) from Persia, and the genetic affiliation of a recently discovered population of this species in NW Iran with respect to other populations of this species across its range. We found that the old record was a misidentification of other related species, and the new Iranian population to be most closely related to those in Armenia and Turkey, attributable to subspecies Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) damon kotshubeji Sovinsky, 1915.