A good knowledge of species distributions and their genetic structure is essential for numerous types of research such as population genetics, phylogeography, or conservation genetics. We document the presence of extremely local populations of three butterfly species (Iolana iolas, Satyrus ferula and Melanargia larissa) in the Romanian fauna. Satyrus ferula and M. larissa are reported for the first time in the country, while I. iolas is rediscovered following presumed extinction. Based on mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1—COI sequences), we assessed the genetic structure of these populations and placed them into a broader context through comparisons with other populations from across the range of these species. Each of the three species had a single haplotype in Romania, suggesting low female effective population size possibly under genetic erosion. Two of the populations (S. ferula and M. larissa) are genetically unique, displaying endemic haplotypes in south-western Romania. The Romanian populations of the three species likely remained unnoticed due to their extremely limited extent of occurrence. Their restricted range, close to the northern limits of distribution in the Balkans, their apparent low female effective population size, the presence of endemic haplotypes, and habitat vulnerability (especially for I. iolas) highlight the need for monitoring and conservation measures for the safeguarding of these populations. We discover and study the genetics of previously unknown populations of three butterfly species (Iolana iolas, Satyrus ferula and Melanargia larissa) in Romania, which deserve conservation measures. This study exemplifies how biodiversity exploration and genetic information can contribute to informed decisions regarding the management and protection of threatened populations.

中文翻译：

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罗马尼亚三种被忽视的蝴蝶物种的遗传学和极端限制要求立即采取保护行动

对物种分布及其遗传结构的良好了解对于众多类型的研究（例如种群遗传学、系统地理学或保护遗传学）至关重要。我们记录了罗马尼亚动物群中三种蝴蝶（Iolana iolas、Satyrus ferula 和 Melanargia larissa）的极端本地种群的存在。Satyrus ferula 和 M. larissa 在该国首次被报道，而 I. iolas 在推测灭绝后被重新发现。基于线粒体 DNA（细胞色素 c 氧化酶亚基 1-COI 序列），我们评估了这些种群的遗传结构，并通过与这些物种范围内的其他种群进行比较，将它们置于更广泛的背景中。这三个物种中的每一个在罗马尼亚都有一个单倍型，表明可能在遗传侵蚀下的女性有效种群规模较低。其中两个种群（S. ferula 和 M. larissa）在遗传上是独一无二的，在罗马尼亚西南部显示出地方性单倍型。由于出现的范围极其有限，这三个物种的罗马尼亚种群很可能未被注意到。它们的范围有限，接近巴尔干地区分布的北部界限，它们明显较低的雌性有效种群规模，地方性单倍型的存在，以及栖息地的脆弱性（特别是对于 I. iolas）突出表明需要采取监测和保护措施来保护这些人群中。我们发现并研究了罗马尼亚三种蝴蝶（Iolana iolas、Satyrus ferula 和 Melanargia larissa）以前未知的种群的遗传学，哪些值得采取保护措施。这项研究举例说明了生物多样性探索和遗传信息如何有助于有关受威胁种群的管理和保护的知情决策。