Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic relationship of Neodon sikimensis (Rodentia: Arvicolinae).

The Sikkim Mountain vole (Neodon sikimensis) belongs to the subfamily Arvicolinae. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of N. sikimensis. It was determined to be 16,330 bp long and contained 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes and 1 control region. The nucleotide sequence data of 12 heavy-strand protein-coding genes of N. sikimensis and other 22 rodents were used for phylogenetic analysis. Tree constructed using Bayesian phylogenetic methods demonstrated that N. sikimensis was a sister to N. irene, and Microtus genus species did not cluster together with each other, making the genus a paraphyletic group.