Phylogenetic position of the Atlantic Mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus) (Linnaeus, 1766) (Perciformes: Gobiidae): the congruence of the complete mitogenome and the CO1 gene region

Abstract

Mitogenomics is an emerging new area of molecular systematics that has helped resolve controversies in the classification of species that have problematic resolution of species. In our study, we have sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of the Atlantic mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus). As it is typical for almost all higher organisms, it has a circular genome which is 16,502 bp long consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and one control region. Phylogenetic analyses strongly support the monophyly of Periophthalmus as well as the placement of P. barbarus as the earliest diverging lineage within the clade. The resolution of evolutionary history and population genetics of P. barbarus will be better understood within the subfamily Oxudercinae.