Phylogeographical analysis of Apalochrus femoralis Erichson, 1840 (Coleoptera: Melyridae)

The paper presents the results of a molecular genetic analysis of Apalochrus femoralis Erichson, 1840 (Coleoptera: Melyridae, Malachiinae) populations from different regions of Ukraine (Odesa and Zakarpattia), Hungary, and Finland. The aim of the study was to assess the phylogenetic relationships between geographically distant populations of the species. A fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was used for the analysis. A phylogenetic tree constructed using the Neighbor-Joining method revealed close genetic relationships among the Ukrainian and Hungarian populations, suggesting a common origin likely in the eastern Black Sea region or the Eastern Balkans. The Finnish population formed a distinct and separate clade, possiblyindicating geographical remoteness and isolation.