# The first complete mitochondrial DNA of Tenuidactylus dadunensis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and its phylogeny

## TL;DR

This paper reports the first complete mitochondrial DNA of a gecko species and its evolutionary relationships.

## Contribution

The first complete mitochondrial DNA sequence for Tenuidactylus dadunensis and its phylogenetic placement in Gekkonidae.

## Key findings

- The complete mtDNA of Tenuidactylus dadunensis is 16,893 bp long with standard mitochondrial gene content.
- Phylogenetic analysis shows T. dadunensis is a sister taxon to Cyrtopodion scabrum within Gekkonidae.
- The mtDNA data will aid in conservation and evolutionary studies of geckonids.

## Abstract

The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Tenuidactylus dadunensis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) was described by using next-generation sequencing. The total length of mtDNA was 16,893 bp, which contained 13 PCGs (COX1-3, ND1-6, ND4L, ATP6, ATP8, and CYTB), 22 transfer RNA(tRNA) genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a control region (D-loop). The Bayesian inference tree showed that T. dadunensis was included in Gekkonidae and was a sister taxon to Cyrtopodion scabrum. The complete mtDNA of T. dadunensis will be an important genetic resource to the studies of conservation and research of geckonids.