Complete mitochondrial genome and the phylogenetic position of the tigertooth croaker Otolithes ruber (Perciformes: Sciaenidae).

In this study, the complete mitogenome of the tigertooth croaker Otolithes ruber was first determined. This mitogenome is 16,589 bp in length, and consists of 37 genes with the typical gene order and direction of transcription in vertebrates. The overall nucleotide composition is: 27.4% A; 29.1% C; 16.1% G and 27.4% T. Sizes of the 22 tRNA genes range from 66 to 74 bp. Four start codons (ACG, CTG, GTG and ATG) and three stop (AGA, TAG and TAA/TA/T) codons were detected in 13 protein-coding genes. In the Bayesian treebased on the complete mitogenomes of 18 species (including O. ruber) from the family Sciaenidae, all nodes were strongly supported. The phylogenetic results suggested that O. ruber was closed to the black-spotted croaker Protonibea diacanthus.