First Mitogenome of the Critically Endangered Arabian Leopard ().

The Arabian leopard (), a critically endangered subspecies endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, faces severe threats from habitat loss, prey depletion, and inbreeding, with fewer than 200 individuals remaining. Genomic resources for this subspecies have been scarce, limiting insights into its evolutionary history and conservation needs. Here, we present the first complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence of , derived from a wild-born male sampled at the Oman Wildlife Breeding Centre in 2023. Using PacBio HiFi sequencing, we assembled a 16,781 bp mitogenome (GenBank: PQ283265) comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a control region, with a GC content of 40.94%. Phylogenetic analysis, incorporating 17 mtDNA sequences, positions closest to African leopard populations from South Africa (), while distinguishing it from Asian subspecies ( and ). This mitogenome reveals conserved vertebrate mitochondrial structure and provides a critical tool for studying genus evolution. Moreover, it enhances conservation genetics efforts for by enabling population structure analysis and informing breeding strategies to strengthen its survival.