Mitochondrial genome characterization and phylogeny of Hynobius notialis, a
Korean endemic salamander
#MMPMID41346359
Jeong D
; Park SJ
; Suk HY
; An J
; Min MS
Mitochondrial DNA B Resour
2026[]; 11
(1
): 23-27
PMID41346359
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Hynobius notialis is a recently described salamander species endemic to the
southern Korean Peninsula, with a restricted distribution and vulnerable
conservation status. Despite its evolutionary and conservation significance, the
complete mitochondrial genome of this species has not yet been characterized. In
this study, we sequenced and analyzed the entire mitogenome of H. notialis
(16,408?bp), comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and a
single control region. Most genes are encoded on the heavy (H) strand, whereas
ND6 and several tRNAs are located on the light (L) strand, consistent with the
typical organization observed in other vertebrates. Comparative analyses revealed
that the nucleotide composition of H. notialis is highly conserved relative to
other Hynobius species and Onychodacytuls fischeri, reflecting family-level
evolutionary constraints on mitochondrial genome evolution. Phylogenetic
reconstruction using complete mitogenomes showed that H. notialis is most closely
related to H. unisacculus, forming a monophyletic clade with H. unisacculus and
H. quelpaertensis, which together with H. yangi and H. leechii constitute a
broader monophyletic group of Korean Hynobius species. These results not only
clarify the phylogenetic position of H. notialis but also provide a valuable
molecular resource for future studies on evolutionary history, biogeography, and
conservation of Korean endemic salamanders.
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