Complete mitochondrial genome of the Mongolian lark, Melanocorypha mongolica (Aves: Passeriformes)

Abstract

We sequenced the entire mitochondrial genome of Melanocorypha mongolica for the first time. The mitogenome is 17,358 bp in length, which includes 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, the control region (CR1), and the control region 2 (CR2). Gene order follows a pattern similar to those of Eurasian Skylark. Using mitochondrial genomes of Melanocorypha mongolica and other seven reference birds in Sylvioidea, we preformed Bayesian analysis based on concatenated protein-coding genes. The results reveal that Alaudidae and Acroccphalidae are clustered together, which is sister to the branches included Sylviidae and Leiothrichidae. Further sequencing of mitochondrial genomes in Alaudidae is useful to advance phylogenetic relationship of species in the family.