Complete mitochondrial genome of Manispentadactylapentadactyla (Mammalia: Pholidota), an endemic subspecies of Chinese pangolin: mitogenome characterisation and phylogenetic implications.

Nick Sun,Nian-Hong Jang-Liaw,Tulshi Laxmi Suwal,Chi-Chun Huang,Kuo-Hsiang Hung,Yu-Wei Tseng,Meng-Jou Chi

doi:10.3897/bdj.9.e77961

Abstract

The Chinese pangolin Manispentadactyla is critically endangered because of over-exploitation and illegal trafficking and includes three subspecies. However, the taxonomic status of the three subspecies of the Chinese pangolin has not been well resolved, which impedes regional conservation and illegal trade traces. In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of M.p.pentadactyla, an endemic subspecies of the Chinese pangolin in Taiwan, was determined. The complete mitogenome of M.p.pentadactyla is 16,570 base pairs (bp) in length with 13 protein-coding genes (PCG), 23 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNAs and a 1164 bp control region. The overall base composition of the genome showed a slight A + T bias (59.9%), positive AT skew (0.1515) and negative GC skew (-0.3406), which is similar to that of other pangolins. All PCGs started with a typical ATN codon and all tRNAs were typical cloverleaf-shaped secondary structures, except for tRNA-Ser(GCU). Phylogenetic analysis indicated a monophyletic relationship for M.p.pentadactyla and M.p.aurita and was monophyletic for M.p.pentadactyla, but paraphyletic for M.p.aurita. The paraphyly of M.p.aurita resulted from an incomplete lineage sorting. This study enriched the mitogenome database of the Chinese pangolin and the molecular information obtained should be very useful for future research on mitogenome evolution and genetic diversification in M.pentadactyla.

Highlights

Pangolins (Mammalia: Pholidota) are scaly-bodied mammals that inhabit a wide range of ecosystems, including secondary subtropical rainforests, bamboo forests, broadleaf forests, savanna woodlands, grasslands and agricultural landscapes in Africa and Asia (Chao et al 2020)
The mitogenome size was well within the range found in Manidae, from 16540 (Smutsia gigantean, GenBank No MF536684) to 16,577 bp (Manis pentadactyla, KT445978) (Suppl. material 1)
The 14 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs) were located in the heavy strand and other genes in the light strand (Fig. 1, Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Pangolins (Mammalia: Pholidota) are scaly-bodied mammals that inhabit a wide range of ecosystems, including secondary subtropical rainforests, bamboo forests, broadleaf forests, savanna woodlands, grasslands and agricultural landscapes in Africa and Asia (Chao et al 2020). Pangolins are almost exclusively termite- and ant‐eating species, consuming all life stages of their prey, including eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. The Chinese pangolin Manis pentadactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Pholidota), is widely found in East Asia, northern Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia, including Nepal, North India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and the northern Indochinese Peninsula, throughout most regions to the south of the Yangtze River in China and the Islands of Hainan and Taiwan (Wu et al 2020). The Chinese pangolin is categorised as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Challender et al 2019) and is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES 2021)

Methods

Results

Conclusion