Complete mitochondrial genome of Anguilla japonica (Anguilliformes, Anguillidae).

The complete mitochondrial genome of Anguilla japonica have been determined in this study. The gene composition, arrangement and transcriptional orientation in A. japonica mitogenome were identical to those of most vertebrates. The complete mitogenome of A. japonica was 16,615 bp in size wih 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes and a control region. Two start codon patterns and three stop codon patterns were found in protein-coding genes. Only the tRNA-Ser2 could not fold into a typical clover-leaf secondary structure for lacking the dihydrouridine arm. Sequences alignment results suggest that the complete mitogenome of A. japonica is an efficient tool to study molecular phylogenetics, biogeography and adaptive evolution of this lineage.