Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Acheilognathus mengyangensis (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae, and Acheilognathinae): Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis

ABSTRACT In this study, the mitochondrial genome data of Acheilognathus mengyangensis were subjected to a multigene tandem method to elucidate its taxonomic status. The total length of the mitochondrial genome was determined to be 16,779 bp, including 13 protein‐coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and the D‐loop region. Overall, there was a strong AT bias and anti‐G bias; different protein‐coding genes exhibited different degrees of codon preference. The rest of the amino acids, with the exception of tRNA Ser (GCT) , of the 22 tRNAs were in one form, the secondary structure was incomplete, and the remaining tRNAs folded to form the secondary structure of a typical clover. Thirteen protein‐coding genes of Acheilognathus and Rhodeus were concatenated to explore their phylogenetic relationships, with Pseudorasbora parva as the outgroup. The results revealed that A. mengyangensis , Acheilognathus chankaensis , and Acheilognathus macropterus were the most closely related. This research would supplement the Acheilognathus mitochondrial genome data, serving as a molecular basis for safeguarding species, facilitating genetic classification, and investigating Acheilognathinae phylogeny.