Identification and phylogenetic analysis in Pterorhinus chinensis (Aves, Passeriformes, Leiothrichidae) based on complete mitogenome

The Black-throated Laughingthrush (Pterorhinus chinensis) is a bird belonging to the order Passeriformes and the family Leiothrichidae, and is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Pterorhinus chinensis was once classified as belonging to the genus Garrulax. However, recent research has reclassified it in the genus Pterorhinus. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the complete mitogenome of P. chinensis. The complete mitochondrial genome of P. chinensis is 17,827 bp in length. It consists of 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and two control regions. All genes are coded on the H-strand, except for one PCG (nad6) and eight tRNAs. All PCGs are initiated with ATG and stopped by five types of stop codons. Our comparative analyses show irregular gene rearrangement between trnT and trnP genes with another similar control region emerging between trnE and trnF genes compared with the ancestral mitochondrial gene order, called "duplicate CR gene order". The phylogenetic position of P. chinensis and phylogenetic relationships among members of Leiothrichidae are assessed based on complete mitogenomes. Phylogenetic relationships based on Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods showed that Garrulax and (Pterorhinus + Ianthocincla) formed a clade. Leiothrix and Liocichla also formed a clade. Our study provides support for the transfer of P. chinensis from Garrulax to Pterorhinus. Our results provide mitochondrial genome data to further understand the mitochondrial genome characteristics and taxonomic status of Leiothrichidae