Abstract. C. (Mesocarabus) problematicus Herbst 1786 is a fairly widespread European endemic species, especially on the Atlantic coast from the northern of Spain until Scandinavia. A recent map, based on the most recent data establishes the geographical distribution. From the eight European subspecies, the most isolated are the island subspecies, those from Faroe Islands (ssp. feroensis Lapouge, 1910) and Iceland (islandicus Lindroth, 1968) but also one continental subspecies from Romania (holdhausi Born 1911). Well represented in Western Europe, particularly in France (3 subsp.), the C. (Mesocarabus) problematicus Herbst 1786 species becomes very localized by going towards the East where is represented only by some relicts stations in Hungary and in Romania. In the last one the represented taxon holdhausi Born 1911, is quoted from eight localities among which two recent confirmed, all situated at high altitude (on 1500-1700 m). This fragmentation of the distribution and the localization in the mountainous zone pose two major questions: causes and anteriority of this residual localization in the refuges zones; genetic origin of this taxon and its link with the other forms of the species. The study wants to establish the position of the endemic taxon holdhausi (collected in the Mountains Hășmaș, Bucegi) among 71 populations of C. (Mesocarabus) problematicus from Western provenances, mainly French, basing on molecular biology data (mitochondrial marker primarily COI I, cyt b; secondarily ND1, ND4, ND5). The results with cyt b, the most selective marker, indicate: a big difference of maternal origin in Spain for the region pre-Pyrenees where appears ssp. planiusculus Haury in Gehin, 1885 and in France for the mountainous regions of the Massif Central (Sidobre, Montagne Noire), the Alps of Queyras of old forest from Centre-West, Italy in the Dolomites. The Romanians provenances from Bucegi and Hasmas are genetivaly close and neighbours of the majority of Western origins. These preliminary results incite to intensify the prospecting in Romania and nearby countries (HR, CZ, SK).

C. (Mesocarabus) problematicus, geographical distribution, molecular biology, biodiversity

Presentation: oral