Mitochondrial genome of the intertidal acorn barnacle Tetraclita serrata Darwin, 1854 (Crustacea: Sessilia): Gene order comparison and phylogenetic consideration within Sessilia

Complete Mitogenome sequencing of the fish louse Argulus japonicus (Crustacea: Branchiura): Comparative analyses and phylogenetic implications

The fish louse Argulus japonicus, a branchiuran crustacean of the Argulidae family, is attracting increasing attention because of its parasitic tendencies and significant health threats to global fish farming. The mitogenomes can yield a foundation for studying epidemiology, genetic diversity, and molecular ecology and therefore may be used to assist in the surveillance and control of A. japonicus. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete mitogenome of A. japonicus to shed light on its genetic and evolutionary blueprint. Our investigation indicated that the 15,045-bp circular genome of A. japonicus encodes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) with significant AT and GC skews. Comparative genomics provided an evolutionary scenario for the genetic diversity of 13 PCGs: all were under purifying selection, with cox1 and nad6 having the lowest and highest evolutionary rates, respectively. Genome-wide phylogenetic trees established a close relationship between species of the families Argulidae (Arguloida) and Armilliferidae (Porocephalida) within Crustacea, and further, A. japonicus and Argulus americanus were determined to be more closely related to each other than to others within the family Argulidae. Single PCG-based phylogenies supported nad1 and nad6 as the best genetic markers for evolutionary and phylogenetic studies for branchiuran crustaceans due to their similar phylogenetic topologies with those of genome-based phylogenetic analyses. To sum up, these comprehensive mitogenomic data of A. japonicus and related species refine valuable marker resources and should contribute to molecular diagnostic methods, epidemiological investigations, and ecological studies of the fish ectoparasites in Crustacea.

The Mitochondrial Genome of the Globally Invasive Barnacle Megabalanus coccopoma Darwin 1854 (Crustacea: Balanomorpha): Rearrangement and Phylogenetic Consideration within Balanomorpha

Megabalanus coccopoma (Darwin, 1854) is a globally invasive species in Balanomorpha (Crustacea). This species is a model organism for studying marine pollution and ecology. However, its mitogenome remains unknown. The mitogenome sequencing of M. coccopoma is completed in the present study. It has a 15,098 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), along with a putative regulatory area. A substantial A+T bias was observed in the genome composition (68.2%), along with a negative AT (0.82) and GC (−0.136) skew. Compared to the gene sequence of the ground model of pan-crustacea, 13 gene clusters (or genes), such as 10 tRNAs and 3 PCGs, were observed in a different order. This was in line with the previously observed large-scale gene rearrangements of Balanomorpha. Among the 37 genes, the gene cluster (M-nad2-W-cox1-L2-cox2-D-atp8-atp6-cox3-G- nad3-R-N-A-E-S1) Balanomorpha was conserved. Furthermore, phylogeny analysis indicated that the existing Balanomorpha species family was divided into nine rearrangement patterns, supporting the polyphyly of Balanoidea.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Tetraclita squamosa squamosa (Sessilia: Tetraclitidae) from China and phylogeny within Cirripedia

Here we present the complete mitochondrial genome of Tetraclita squamosasquamosa, which is 15,191 bp in length with 67.20% AT content. It contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal-RNA genes and 22 transfer-RNA genes. All PCGs except nad4l in T. squamosasquamosa start with ATN, and terminated with a complete stop codon, except nad3. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial PCGs shows that T. squamosasquamosa is clustered with T. serrata into a branch (BP = 100). Our result is consistent with previous reports that genus Tetraclita and family Tetraclitidae are not monophyletic. This study contributes to further phylogenetic analysis within Cirripedia. 

The complete mitochondrial genome of Tetraclita japonica (Crustacea: Maxillopoda: Sessilia) from Zhejiang (China) and phylogeny within Sessilia

The complete mitochondrial genome of Tetraclita japonica (Crustacea: Maxillopoda: Sessilia) from Zhejiang (China) was presented (T. japonica ZJ). The genome is a circular molecule of 15,192 bp, all non-coding regions are 694 bp in length, and the longest one (307 bp) is located between 12S rRNA and trnK. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial PCGs shows that T. japonica ZJ clusters with T. japonica CN, and they grouped with T. japonica (BP = 100), then grouped with Tesseropora rosea, Tetraclita serrata, Tetraclita rufotincta, Epopella plicata, and Tetraclitella divisa successively . The phylogenetic tree indicated that the Balanidae and Archaeobalanidae are polyphyletic, while the Chthamalidae is monophyletic. The result can help us to understand the phylogenetic history within Sessilia.

The first mitochondrial genome of Fistulobalanus albicostatus (Crustacea: Maxillopoda: Sessilia) and phylogenetic consideration within the superfamily Balanoidea

The first complete mitochondrial genome of the intertidal barnacle Fistulobalanus albicostatus Pilsbry, 1916 (Crustacea: Maxillopoda: Sessilia) is presented. The genome is a circular molecule of 15,665 bp, which encodes a set of 37 typical metazoan genes. All non-coding regions are 438 bp in length, with the longest one speculated as the control region (264 bp), which is located between srRNA and trnI. All protein-coding genes (PCGs) have an ATD (ATA, ATT, or ATG) start codon, except nad1, which is initiated with GTG. Remarkably, cox3, cob, nad1-5 have incomplete stop codons (T–– or TA–) and the remaining PCGs have the complete stop codon (TAA). Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 mitochondrial PCGs shows that the members of the Archaeobalanidae and Balanidae intermingle with species from Pyrgomatidae. The results supposed that Balanidae and Archaeobalanidae are non-monophyly.

The first mitochondrial genome of Capitulum mitella (Crustacea: Cirripedia) from China: revealed the phylogenetic relationship within Thoracica

Capitulum mitella (Crustacea: Cirripedia) is an important stalked barnacle. The first mitochondrial genome of C. mitella from China was presented, which is a circular molecule of 15,930 bp in length and AT content is 64.4%. It encodes 37 genes, including 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, and two rRNAs, which is consistent with most barnacles species reported. There are 15 genes encoded on the light strand and 22 genes encoded on the heavy strand. Identical to most barnacles species reported, srRNA and lrRNA genes are adjacent and separated only by trnV gene. Phylogenetic trees showed that C. mitella clustered with Pollicipes polymerus, indicating Pollicipedidae is monophyletic. However, Scalpelliformes was not monophyletic from the phylogenetic tree. From the level of order, the Lepadiformes was located at the base of the phylogenetic tree, indicating that its divergence time was earlier than Scalpelliformes. The results provided more insights into phylogenetic consideration at the genomic level within superorder Thoracica.

The first mitochondrial genome of Megabalanus tintinnabulum (Sessilia: Balanidae) from China: phylogeny within Cirripedia based on mitochondrial genes

Here we present the complete mitochondrial genome of Megabalanus tintinnabulum. The genome is 15,107 bp in length with a 67.35% AT content. It contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNAs genes, and 22 tRNAs. Both rRNAs are encoded on the light strand, as in the other crustacean and barnacle mitochondrial genomes. Besides five tRNAs are encoded on the light strand (nad1, trnV, trnL1, trnC, trnQ, and trnK). Only one PCG is encoded on the light strand (nad1), whereas the other 12 PCGs are located on the heavy strand, which is consistent with M. ajax. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial PCGs shows that M. tintinnabulum is clustered with M. ajax into a branch (BP = 100), and the group with M. volcano with high support. This study contributes to further phylogenetic analysis within Cirripedia.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two vent squat lobsters, Munidopsis lauensis and M. verrilli: Novel gene arrangements and phylogenetic implications

Hydrothermal vents are considered as one of the most extremely harsh environments on the Earth. In this study, the complete mitogenomes of hydrothermal vent squat lobsters, Munidopsis lauensis and M. verrilli, were determined through Illumina sequencing and compared with other available mitogenomes of anomurans. The mitogenomes of M. lauensis (17,483 bp) and M. verrilli (17,636 bp) are the largest among all Anomura mitogenomes, while the A+T contents of M. lauensis (62.40%) and M. verrilli (63.99%) are the lowest. The mitogenomes of M. lauensis and M. verrilli display novel gene arrangements, which might be the result of three tandem duplication-random loss (tdrl) events from the ancestral pancrustacean pattern. The mitochondrial gene orders of M. lauensis and M. verrilli shared the most similarities with S. crosnieri. The phylogenetic analyses based on both gene order data and nucleotide sequences (PCGs and rRNAs) revealed that the two species were closely related to Shinkaia crosnieri. Positive selection analysis revealed that eighteen residues in seven genes (atp8, Cytb, nad3, nad4, nad4l, nad5, and nad6) of the hydrothermal vent anomurans were positively selected sites.

Mitochondrial genome of Tesseropora rosea: molecular evidence for non-monophyly of the genus Tetraclita

The complete mitochondrial genome of Tesseropora rosea (Tetraclitidae) was presented. The genome is a circular molecule of 15,330 bp, which encodes 13 PCGs, two rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes. The length of all non-coding regions is 768 bp, with the longest one speculated as the control region (255 bp), which is located between 12S rRNA and trnK. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial PCGs shows that T. rosea is nested within the genus Tetraclita, more closely related to Tetraclita japonica than to Tetraclita rufotincta or Tetraclita serrata. Thus, the monophyly of the genus Tetraclita is not supported.

Mitochondrial genome of the acorn barnacle Tetraclita rufotincta Pilsbry, 1916: highly conserved gene order in Tetraclitidae

The complete mitochondrial genome of the intertidal barnacle Tetraclita rufotincta Pilsbry, 1916 (Crustacea: Maxillopoda: Sessilia) is presented. The genome is a circular molecule of 15,236 bp, which encodes a set of 37 typical metazoan mitochondrial genes. All non-coding regions are 438 bp in length, with the longest one speculated as the control region (242 bp), which is located between srRNA and trnK. Comparison of the genome and those of three other species from Tetraclitidae shows that gene arrangement is identical, indicating that the mitochondrial gene order is highly conserved in the family. Moreover, in comparison with the pancrustacean ground pattern, the four species of Tetraclitidae share three large conserved gene blocks. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 mitochondrial PCGs shows that Chelonbia testudinaria (Coronulidae) clusters with the four species of Tetraclitidae. Within Tetraclitidae, T. serrata clusters with T. japonica, and the two grouped with T. rufotincta with high support (BP = 100), with T. divisa as the most distantly related species (BP = 100).