The complete mitochondrial genome of the Mekong Giant Salmon Carp (<i>Aaptosyax grypus</i>): a tool to conserve an emblematic and elusive megafish

The giant salmon carp is a Critically Endangered megafish from the Mekong River. Despite its emblematic species status, it is rarely observed, and less than 30 confirmed specimens have been recorded since the original species description in 1991. Here, we benefitted from the latest discovery to collect tissues for mitogenome sequencing. We provide the full mitogenome of Aaptosyax grypus , which is 16601 bp in length and codes for 13 genes. This mitogenome sequence will help resolve the phylogenetic placement of this emblematic species. It also provides the 12S gene reference sequence commonly used in environmental DNA (eDNA) studies and thus opens opportunities for the detection of this elusive species using eDNA, making it possible to investigate the spatial distribution of the species and develop strategies to conserve this Critically Endangered megafish.