The complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic position of Schizothorax argentatus (Cyprinomorpha: Crypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

Abstract

We investigated the vulnerable fish species Schizothorax argentatus Kessler, 1874, using low-coverage whole genome sequencing data. The assembled 16,587 bp mitochondrial genome has a nucleotide composition of A = 29.8%, T = 25.3%, G = 17.9%, and C = 27.0%, containing 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes with a gene arrangement identical to other cofamilial species. Phylogenetic analyses of 71 schizothoracine fishes suggest a close relationship between S. argentatus and Schizothorax eurystomus, sharing a common ancestor with Schizothorax pseudoaksaiensis. Our study supports dividing extant schizothoracine fishes into two tribes, Schizothoracini and Schizopygopsini. The estimated time to most recent common ancestor (t_MRCA) and their distribution imply geological and climatic events during the Miocene around the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as significant evolutionary drivers explaining the diversification of main clades in schizothoracine fishes.

Keywords:

• Schizothorax argentatus
• mitochondrial genome
• phylogeny
• schizothoracine fishes
• evolution

Acknowledgements

We thank Yongxing Wang for providing the experimental sample. We also thank the three reviewers and Dr Antonio Baeza for their insightful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science and Technology Basic Resources Survey Program of China (2019FY101700).