Mitochondrial genome sequence of black paradise flycatcher (Aves: Monarchidae) and its phylogenetic position

Abstract

We generated the complete mitochondrial genome of the black paradise flycatcher (Terpsiphone atrocaudata; Family: Monarchidae), an ecologically important insectivorous bird in Asian forest ecosystems. The mitogenome was 16,984 bp in length and consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs and a control region. Gene composition and arrangement in the mitogenome were similar to those of related families Corvidae and Laniidae available in GenBank. However, tRNAAla was located between COXII and ATP8 genes in the mitogenome of T. atrocaudata while tRNALys, was in the same location in the mitogenomes of Corvidae and Laniidae. The phylogenetic tree based on the mitogenomes of T. atrocaudata and the related families supported that Monarchidae was the sister taxa to the clade of Laniidae and Corvidae. The mitogenome of T. atrocaudata will be a valuable genetic resource for phylogenetic analyses and implication of conservation and management of the species.