Cryptic diversity of Oxythyrea flower chafers and its implication for conservation of non‐forest biotopes in the Balkans

Abstract

1. Flower chafers (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) are usually associated with saproxylophagous life strategies, and several of these taxa are considered as flagship species of insect conservation in Europe.2. Here, we discuss the significance of soil-dwelling flower chafers for the conservation of natural habitats by reporting the rediscovery of two relict, habitat specialist flower chafers of the genus Oxythyrea in Europe.3. We compare the observed population structure of both species with their widespread congeners and discuss the detected deep genetic divergences among populations of both species, O. dulcis and O. albopicta. 4. Surprisingly, deep genetic structure has been observed among the psammophilous O. dulcis, which is quite counterintuitive as psammophilous habitats are rather ephemeral and these species tend to be very vagile.5. Populations of soil-dwelling, habitat specialist flower beetles may represent relicts of the past paleogeographic events, and their conservation value has to be thoroughly assessed.