The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Homophyllia bowerbanki (Scleractinia, Lobophylliidae): The First Sequence for the Genus Homophyllia

Reef-building coral species of the order Scleractinia play an important role in shallow tropical seas by providing an environmental base for the ecosystem. The molecular data of complete mitochondrial genome have become an important source for evaluating phylogenetic and evolutionary studies of Scleractinia. Here, the complete mitogenome of Homophyllia bowerbanki (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1857), collected from Nansha Islands of the South China Sea, was sequenced for the first time through a next-generation sequencing method. H. bowerbanki is the first species of its genus for which the mitogenome was sequenced. This mitogenome was 18,154 bp in size and included two transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), and two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs). It showed a similar gene structure and gene order to the other typical scleractinians. All 17 genes were encoded on the H strand and the total GC content was 33.86% in mitogenome. Phylogenetic analysis (maximum likelihood tree method) showed that H. bowerbanki belonged to the "Robust" clade and clustered together with other two species in the family Lobophylliidae based on 13 PCGs. The mitogenome can provide significant molecular information to clarify the evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships between stony corals and to facilitate their taxonomic classification; it can also support coral species monitoring and conservation efforts.