The complete mitochondrial genome of silver croaker <Emphasis Type="Italic">Argyrosomus argentatus</Emphasis> (Perciforems; Sciaenidae): Genome characterization and phylogenetic consideration

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequence of the silver croaker, Argyrosomus argentatus, was obtained by using LA-PCR and sequencing. The mitogenome is 16485 bp in length, consists of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding control region like those found in other vertebrates, with the gene order similar to that of typical teleosts. Most of the genes of A. argentatus were encoded on the H-strand, while the ND6 and eight tRNA (Gln, Ala, Asn, Cys, Tyr, Ser (UCN), Glu and Pro) genes were encoded on the L-strand. The reading frames of two pairs of genes overlapped: ATPase8 and 6 and ND4L and ND4 by ten and seven nucleotides, respectively. The origin of L-strand replication in A. argentatus was in a cluster of five tRNA genes (WANCY) and was 46 nucleotides in length. The conserved motif (5′-GCGGG-3′) was found at the base of the stem within the tRNA^Cys gene. Within the control region, we identified all of the conserved motifs except for CSB-F.