Complete mitochondrial genome and phylogeny of the green chromide Etroplus suratensis (Bloch, 1790) from Vembanad Lake, Kerala, south India

Abstract

The green chromide Etroplus suratensis (Bloch, 1790), is a cichlid species which forms an economically valuable food fish and a preferred candidate for brackishwater aquaculture in India. The complete mitogenome of E. suratensis collected from Vembanad Lake, Kerala, India has been characterised in the present study. The entire mitogenome was PCR amplified as contiguous, overlapping segments and sequenced. The assembled mitogenome of E. suratensis is 16456 bp circle, contained the 37 mitochondrial structural genes, two ribosomal RNA genes (12S rRNA and 16S rRNA), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 13 protein-coding genes and 1 non-coding control region/D-loop, with the gene order identical to vertebrates. In the phylogenetic analysis, E. suratensis is clustered with other Indo-Sri Lankan taxa. Among cichlids, the groups from South America and Africa are monophyletic in origin. The mitogenomic information generated in this study will be valuable for further studies on evolution, taxonomy, conservation, environmental adaptation and selective breeding of this species having aquaculture, ornamental and evolutionary importance.