Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Spheciospongia vesparium (Demospongiae, Clionaida, Clionaidae)

Abstract

The Loggerhead sponge (Spheciospongia vesparium) is an ecologically important marine species of sponge that provides habitat and food sources to biodiversity hotspots in the Caribbean Sea and along the coasts of Florida. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of the sponge, S. vesparium was sequenced and reported. The mitochondrial genome of S. vesparium was 21,763 base pairs, and consisted of 14 protein-coding genes, 26 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes. The total nucleotide content comprised 31.01% A, 36.04% T, 11.08% C, and 21.88% G, with a lower GC content of 32.95%. This study provides a phylogenetic analysis of S. vesparium and relative sponges in Demospongiae.

Keywords:

• Spheciospongia vesparium
• sponge
• mtDNA
• Clionaidae
• mitogenome

Disclosure statement

There are no relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to report.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings are openly available in NCBI at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/, reference number MZ675556. The associated BioProject, SRA, and Bio-Sample numbers are PRJNA731158, SRP320569, and SAMN20122380.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) grant funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [No. 2T34GM110517-07S1].