The complete mitochondrial genome of Pomadasys kaakan (Perciformes: Haemulidae)

Pomadasys kaakan (Cuvier 1830) is a fish found in coastal waters that is widely distributed in the Western Indo-Pacific Ocean and plays an important role in commercial fisheries. The complete mitochondrial genome of P. kaakan was determined for the first time in this study. The genome was 16,808 bp in length and consisted of 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and one noncoding control region. The overall base composition was estimated to be A: 27.1%; T: 24.7%; C: 31.7%; and G: 16.5%, with an AT bias of 51.8%. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggested that P. kaakan was clustered with species of genera Plectorhinchus, Diagramma, and Parapristipoma, which also belonged to the Haemulidae family. Furthermore, the Haemulidae family was closely related to the group containing Oplegnathidae, Kyphosidae, Teraponidae, and Lutjanidae. These results may provide molecular information for the species evolution and phylogenetic status of P. kaakan in the suborder Percoidei.