Complete mitochondrial genome of the sixbar grouper Epinephelus sexfasciatus (Perciformes: Epinephelidae)

Abstract

In this study, we presented the complete mitogenome for the sixbar grouper Epinephelus sexfasciatus. The complete mitogenome of E. sexfasciatus is 16,786 bp in length with the typical mitochondrial gene order and composition in vertebrates. Overall base composition was 28.40% A, 27.93% C, 27.21% T and 16.45% G. The COI gene used GTG and the ATP6 gene used CTG as the start codon. The tRNA-Ser2 lost the dihydrouridine arm and replaced with a simple loop. Both the maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) methods yielded the same tree topology using available mitogenomes of the genus Epinephelus. Epinephelus sexfasciatus was nested to E. akaara. E. awoara and E. fasciatomaculosus, and then combined with E. stictus formed a clade.

• Epinephelus sexfasciatus
• mitogenome
• phylogenetic position

Declaration of interest

This study was supported by the Special Scientific Research Funds for Central Non-profit Institutes, South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (2012TS02). The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.