Molecular Phylogeny and Phylogeography of Potentilla multifida L. agg. (Rosaceae) in Northern Eurasia with Special Focus on Two Rare and Critically Endangered Endemic Species, P. volgarica and P. eversmanniana

The results of a molecular genetic study of Potentilla multifida agg. using two plastid markers (ndhC-trnV and psbA-trnH) and a nuclear ITS marker suggested that this group comprises a number of relatively young and incompletely differentiated species widely distributed in Northern Eurasia. The sequences were analyzed using tree-based (maximum likelihood) and network-based (statistical parsimony network) approaches. The plastid data suggested incomplete lineage sorting, characteristic of the group as a whole. The nuclear ITS results demonstrated quite a different pattern, with mostly conspecific accessions shaping monophyletic clades. The majority of the Potentilla sect. Multifidae species studied possess few, usually closely related plastid haplotypes, or are even monomorphic. In contrast, P. volgarica, a narrow endemic from the Volga River valley, presents plastid haplotypes belonging to two distantly related groups. Such a pattern of genetic diversity in P. volgarica may be explained by a long persistence of the species within an extremely small distribution range, on the right bank of the Volga River, most likely representing a contemporary refugium. The genealogy of plastid markers in P. volgarica suggests that this species is ancestral to P.eversmanniana, another narrow endemic from the S Urals

Biodiversity of Coleoptera (Insecta) in Khvalynsky National Park (Saratov Region, Russia)

(1) Background: Coleoptera is one of the most diverse insect lineages. The beetle species live in many ecosystems around the globe and their roles in ecosystems are very diverse; thus, it is important to know the local and regional fauna varieties, especially for protected areas, such as nature reserves and national parks. (2) Methods: The materials were collected from the territory of the Khvalynsky National Park (European Russia, Saratov region), mainly over the last 30 years (1994–2022). The beetles were collected using different means (manual collection; the use soil traps, fermental crown traps, and Malaise traps; light fishing; sweeping with an entomological net on plants and under water, etc.). (3) Results: The dataset presents data on 914 species and subspecies of Coleoptera from 67 families found in the Khvalynsky National Park. The number of studied specimens was 7445. Four families (Cerylonidae, Byturidae, Phalacridae, and Sphindidae) and 95 species were recorded for the Khvalynsky National Park for the first time. Thirty-two species were recorded for the Saratov region for the first time. (4) Conclusions: The general biodiversity of Coleoptera in the Khvalynsky National Park includes 1203 species from 71 families