The Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Analysis of Rhagastis binoculata (Matsumura, 1909) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

TL;DR

This paper reports the complete mitochondrial genome of the endemic moth Rhagastis binoculata from Taiwan and its phylogenetic placement within the Sphingidae family.

Contribution

The study provides the first complete mitogenome of R. binoculata and its phylogenetic analysis within Sphingidae.

Findings

The mitogenome of R. binoculata is 15,303 bp and includes standard mitochondrial genes.

The genome has a high AT content (80.6%) and unique start codon usage for COX1.

Phylogenetic analysis places R. binoculata closely related to Rhagastis mongoliana.

Abstract

The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) Rhagastis binoculata (Matsumura, 1909), an endemic moth species in Taiwan, was sequenced and analyzed. The complete circular mitogenome of R. binoculata is 15,303 bp and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and an AT-rich control region. The mitogenome has an overall nucleotide composition of 41.2% A, 11.9% C, 7.5% G, and 39.4% T, with an AT content of 80.6%. Of the protein-coding genes (PCGs), 12 start with ATG, ATT, and ATC, and COX1 starts with a “CGA” codon. All of the stop codons are “TAA, TAG, or T”. Our phylogenetic analysis of 21 species of Sphingidae insects suggests that R. binoculata is clustered with Rhagastis mongoliana, which belongs to the subfamily Macroglossinae.

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