The complete mitochondrial genome of Talpa martinorum (Mammalia: Talpidae), a mole species endemic to Thrace: genome content and phylogenetic considerations

The complete mitogenome sequence of Talpa martinorum, a recently described Balkan endemic mole, was assembled from next generation sequence data. The mitogenome is similar to that of the three other Talpa species sequenced to date, being 16,835 bp in length, and containing 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, an origin of L-strand replication, and a control region or D-loop. Compared to other Talpa mitogenomes sequenced to date, that of T. martinorum differs in the length of D-loop and stop codon usage. TAG and T-- are the stop codons for the ND1 and ATP8 genes, respectively, in T. martinorum, whilst TAA acts as a stop codon for both ND1 and ATP8 in the other three Talpa species sequenced. Phylogeny reconstructions based on Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses yielded phylogenies with similar topologies, demonstrating that T. martinorum nests within the western lineage of the genus, being closely related to T. aquitania and T. occidentalis.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Iberian Mole Talpa occidentalis (Talpidae, Insectivora) and comparison with Talpa europaea

The complete mitogenome of Talpa occidentalis, the Iberian mole, was sequenced using a combination of the Illumina and Sanger methods. The 16,962 bp genome obtained contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs, and a control region. Thirty-seven identical repetitions of a 10-nucleotide (CACACGTACG) repeat element were identified in the non-coding control region (D-loop). The number, order, and orientation of the mitochondrial genes are the same as in T. europaea, the only mitogenome published so far for this genus. These two mitogenomes differ only at the repeat element included in the control region. The phylogeny obtained for the Talpidae species using the protein-coding genes of these mitogenomes agrees with the current classification of this family.

Mitogenome of a cryptic species within Uropsilus and divergence time estimation

Uropsilus sp. 4 is a new cryptic species, collected in Changyang county, Hubei province, China. In this study, the whole mitochondrial genome of Uropsilus sp. 4 was first determined and characterized. The genome is 16,542 bp in length, containing 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a putative control region. Base on NJ, ML, and BI methods, we obtained the same topologies. U. sp. 4 clustered with U. gracilis and the divergence time was 1.78 Ma (95% CI 1.24–2.32 Ma), in concordance with the third period of last orogenic push of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, might contribute to the speciation of U. sp. 4.

Determination of the complete mitogenome of Spotted Dove, Spilopelia chinensis (Columbiformes: Columbidae)

The Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis (Columbiformes: Columbidae) is widely distributed in Southeast Asia. In the present study, we investigated the complete mitochondrial genome of S. chinensis and the mitogenome is 16,964 bp in length, consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a non-coding control region, with the base composition of A 31.1%, G 13.9%, T 23.9%, and C 32.1%. A single extra base "C" at position 174 is inserted in gene Nd3, similar to some other birds and turtles. The phylogenetic relationships using partitioned Bayesian inference based on the 12 concatenated PCGs indicated that ((((Spilopelia, Columba) Ectopistes) (Geotrygon (Leptotila, Zenaida))) Hemiphaga). While, more complete mitogenome sequences should be determined to confirm the phylogenetic status of Spilopelia within family Columbidae.

Characterization of the mitogenome of Uropsilus gracilis and species delimitation

The species diversity within the genus Uropsilus were underestimated: 10 species among the genus Uropsilus have been proposed. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of U. gracilis, with the topotype, was determined. It is 16,536 bp in length, comprising of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 control region. The composition and arrangement of its genes are similar to most other mammals. The total base composition of the mitogenome is A, 33.4%; T, 30.3%; C, 22.7% and G, 13.6%, with a rich content of A+T pattern. We performed the similarity comparison based on 13 PCGs of three species of Asiatic shrew-like mole, U. gracilis, U. sp. 1 and U. soricipes. Pairwise sequence alignment showed that similarity data of U. gracilis versus U. sorcipes are significantly higher than those of U. gracilis versus U. sp.1. This pointed toward a cryptic species (U. sp.1) from Jiajin Mountains rather than U. gracilis.