# The complete mitochondrial genome of Potomida acarnanica (Kobelt, 1879)

## TL;DR

This paper reports the complete mitochondrial genome of Potomida acarnanica, a freshwater mussel species found only in Greece, to aid in understanding its biology and conservation.

## Contribution

The study provides the first complete mitochondrial genome for Potomida acarnanica, an endemic and poorly studied species.

## Key findings

- The mitogenome of P. acarnanica is 16,101 bp and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA, and 2 rRNA genes.
- The mitogenome size is similar to that of Potomida littoralis, and phylogenetic analysis confirms its placement in the Lamprotulini tribe.
- This genomic resource will support future evolutionary and conservation studies of the species.

## Abstract

Freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) play essential roles in the well-functioning of ecosystems, even providing essential services to humans. However, these bivalves face numerous threats (e.g. habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change) which have already led to the extinction of many populations. This underscores the need to fully characterize the biology of these species, particularly those, such as Potomida acarnanica, that are still poorly studied. This study presents the first mitogenome of P. acarnanica (Kobelt, 1879), an endemic species of Greece with a distribution limited to only two river basins. The mitochondrial genome of a P. acarnanica specimen, collected at Pamisos River (Peloponnese, Greece), was sequenced by Illumina high-throughput sequencing. This mitogenome (16,101 bp) is characterized by 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. The size of this mitogenome is within the range of another Potomida mitogenome already published for the species Potomida littoralis. In the phylogenetic inference, P. acarnanica was recovered as monophyletic with P. littoralis mitogenome in the Lamprotulini tribe, as expected. This genomic resource will assist in genetically characterizing the species, potentially benefiting future evolutionary studies and conservation efforts.