Complete mitochondrial genome of Eupelops contaminatus Choi, 1986 (Acari: Oribatida: Phenopelopidae) from Changbai Mountain in China: characterization and its phylogenetic implications

In this study, we report the complete mitogenome of Eupelops contaminatus Choi, 1986 (Acari, Oribatida, Phenopelopidae) for the first time. The 14,118 bp mitogenome contains 13 protein- coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a non-coding region (AT-rich region). Evolutionary analysis of all PCGs based on the non-synonymous/synonymous substitution rate ratio (ω) indicated that cox1 and atp8 exhibited the lowest and highest evolutionary rates, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 13 PCGs of mitogenomes indicated that E. contaminatus is sister to Eupelops sp. (LC817331), while they differ in gene arrangement. This study offers insights into the mitogenomic basis of Eupelops species and provides an important data resource for exploring the taxonomy, phylogeny, and evolution of oribatid mites.