A molecular systematic research of Gunarus des gozi̇s, 1886 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini)species of Southwestern Anatolia

This study was carried out with tenebrionid samples that was gathered and preserved through field studies at various locations of Mediterranean areas between 2008 – 2012. Morphologically determined species boundaries of the newly defined species Gunarus gayirbegiNabozhenko and Keskin, 2009 and Gunarus korkutelensis Nabozhenko and Keskin, 2009, which belong to Gunarus Des Gozis, 1886 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini), were tested with molecular and phylogenetic tools. As a result of the evaluation of phylogenetic analysis, Gunarus gayirbegi and Gunarus korkutelensis are considered sibling species. Furthermore, Davraz Dagı, Isparta and Yarpuz, Antalya samples which split as a different lineage branch in obtained phylogenetic trees concludes that these can be a new species for Gunarus genus. Key Words: Tenebrionidae, Helopini, phylogenetic, mtDNA, cox1.