The complete mitochondrial genome of the dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima (Cetacea: Kogiidae)

Abstract

The dwarf sperm whale is a small, toothed cetacean, which was suggested to be two separate species based on the evidence derived from partial mitochondrial DNA sequence. Here, the complete mitochondrial genome of Kogia sima (16,379 bp in length) has been analyzed for building the database. It was similar to the typical mammalian mtDNA, containing 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes) and a non-coding region. Overall base composition of the complete mitochondrial DNA is A (31.2%), G (14.4%), C (29.4%), T (25.0%), the percentage of A and T (56.2%) is higher than G and C (43.8%). All genes in K. sima were distributed on the H-strand, except for the ND6 subunit gene and 9 tRNA genes which were encoded on the L-strand. The phylogenetic relationships of 15 Odontoceti species were reconstructed based on the 13 protein-coding genes using the Bayesian inference method.

Keywords

• mitochondrial genome
• dwarf sperm whale
• phylogenetic relationships
• kogia sima