Mitochondrial Genome Variation in <i>Channa</i> and Its Implications for Phylogenetic Relationships

The genus Channa  is a kind of freshwater fish with important economic value and ecological significance. Its species diversity and phylogenetic relationship have long been concerned. This study systematically sorted and compared the mitochondrial genome sequences of different species and regional populations of the genus Channa , deeply revealed its genome structure composition, variation characteristics and phylogenetic relationship, clarified the lineage differentiation pattern and evolutionary path within the genus Channa , and constructed a high-resolution phylogenetic tree by analyzing genetic variations such as SNP, InDel and non-synonymous mutations. Regional comparison showed that there were significant differences in mitochondrial variation between the southern Chinese and Southeast Asian populations of Channa , and geographical isolation contributed to the formation of lineages in different regions. Case analysis represented by Channa argus  and Channa maculata  further revealed their genomic differences and ecological adaptation mechanisms. This study is expected to provide a theoretical basis for species identification, resource protection and genetic diversity assessment of Channa , and also provide a methodological reference and practical path for studying the phylogenetic relationship of freshwater fish using mitochondrial genome.