Complete mitochondrial genomes of the Northern (Salvelinus malma) and Southern (Salvelinus curilus) Dolly Varden chars (Salmoniformes, Salmonidae)

Abstract

The complete mitochondrial genomes were sequenced from the Northern and Southern Dolly Varden chars, Salvelinus malma and S. curilus. The genome sequences are 16,654 bp in size in both species, and the gene arrangement, composition, and size are very similar to the salmonid fish genomes published previously. The level of sequence divergence between S. malma and S. curilus inferred from the complete mitochondrial genomes is relatively low (1.88%) indicating recent divergence of the species and/or historical hybridization.

• Arctic char S. alpinus
• complete mitochondrial genome
• hybridization
• mtDNA introgression
• northern dolly varden char Salvelinus malma
• salmonids
• southern dolly varden char Salvelinus curilus

Acknowledgements

We thank Elena Balakireva for encouragement and help.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This study was supported by Bren Professor Funds at the University of California Irvine to Francisco J. Ayala and Evgeniy S. Balakirev.