The mitochondrial genome of the freshwater crab Potamon fluviatile, the first sequenced representative of the subfamily Potaminae and its phylogenetic position within Potamidae

Abstract

Here we report the mitogenome of Potamon fluviatile collected from the Maltese islands, representing the first such study on species from the subfamily Potaminae. The mitogenome was analysed through next-generation sequencing and annotated. The genome was found to contain 37 genes that include 13 protein coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes and a non-coding region. The gene order was compared to that of other Potamidae species, while protein coding and rRNA genes were used to evaluate the phylogenetic position of Potamon with other species of freshwater crabs. The phylogenetic analysis shows that the subfamily Potaminae, here represented by P. fluviatile, forms a distinct clade from its sister subfamily Potamiscinae, with the two sharing common ancestry within the family Potamidae. This study contributes to the genetic resources available for the genus Potamon.