Phylogenetic Characteristics of a Newly Sequenced Mitochondrial Genome of Monodactylus sebae (Eupercaria, Monodactylidae).

The African moony (Monodactylus sebae) occupies a unique ecological niche and possesses significant aesthetic value, playing a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems. To elucidate the phylogenetic position of the African moony within the family Monodactylidae, this study employed high-throughput sequencing technology to obtain the mitochondrial genome of the African moony. A phylogenetic tree was subsequently constructed based on 13 protein-coding genes. The mitochondrial DNA of the African moony spans a total length of 16,544 base pairs, encoding 22 transfer RNAs, 13 genes associated with protein synthesis, and 2 ribosomal RNAs, with an additional D-loop region. The genome exhibits a pronounced bias towards adenine-thymine (AT) nucleotides, particularly in the D-loop region, where the AT content reaches as high as 65.5%. Utilizing Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree, the analysis revealed that the African moony (M. sebae) and the Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus) form a monophyletic clade, indicating a close phylogenetic relationship. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree unveiled an early rapid radiation event in the evolution of Eupercaria, offering novel molecular insights into the mechanisms underlying fish biodiversity. This study not only enriches the mitochondrial genome database for fish species but also lays a vital foundation for the follow-up study on the adaptive evolution and conservation biology of the African moony.