Two complete mitochondrial genomes of Boulenophrys (Anura: Megophryidae: Megophryinae): characteristics and phylogenetic implications.

Abstract

The Chinese horned toads, Boulenophrys boettgeri (Boulenger, 1899) and Boulenophrys kuatunensis (Pope, 1929), are two captivating species within the family Megophryidae, which inhabit the mountainous streams in the Eastern of China. In this study, two new complete mitochondrial genomes of B. boettgeri and B. kuatunensis were sequenced, assembled, and annotated using next-generation sequencing. The length of mitochondrial genomes of B. boettgeri and B. kuatunensis was 16,597 and 17,921 bp, respectively, with both containing 13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one putative control region. Phylogenetic relationships based on protein-coding mitochondrial genes showed that the two Boulenophrys species formed a cluster with other Boulenophrys species. The two new sequences provide valuable insights into the mitochondrial genomes of these two species, offering important data for understanding the phylogenetic relationships of the genus Boulenophrys.