A Comprehensive Analysis of the Fowleria variegata (Valenciennes, 1832) Mitochondrial Genome and Its Phylogenetic Implications within the Family Apogonidae

Controversies surrounding the phylogenetic relationships within the family Apogonidae have persisted due to the limited molecular data, obscuring the evolution of these diverse tropical marine fishes. This study presents the first complete mitochondrial genome of Fowleria variegata, a previously unrepresented genus, using high-throughput Illumina sequencing. Through a comparative mitogenomic analysis, F. variegate was shown to exhibit a typical genome architecture and composition, including 13 protein-coding, 22 tRNA and 2 rRNA genes and a control region, consistent with studies of other Apogonidae species. Nearly all protein-coding genes started with ATG, while stop codons TAA/TAG/T were observed, along with evidence of strong functional constraints imposed via purifying selection. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches provided robust evidence that F. variegata forms a basal lineage closely related to P. trimaculatus within Apogonidae, offering novel perspectives into the molecular evolution of this family. By generating new mitogenomic resources and evolutionary insights, this study makes important headway in elucidating the phylogenetic relationships and mitogenomic characteristics of Apogonidae fishes. The findings provide critical groundwork for future investigations into the drivers of diversification, speciation patterns, and adaptive radiation underlying the extensive ecological diversity and biological success of these marine fishes using phylogenomics and population genomics approaches.