Complete Mitochondrial Genomes and Phylogenetic Relationships of <i>Myotis siligorensis</i> and <i>Myotis laniger</i>

Bats belong to the order Chiroptera, which represents the second most diverse order among mammals. Bats provide critical ecosystem services through mosquito population control, suppression of agricultural arthropod pests, pollination facilitation, and seed dispersal, while also contributing to human health preservation and economic well-being. Moreover, they have an essential function in the ecosystem of the Earth. However, the NCBI database contains 36 mitochondrial genomes of the genus <i>Myotis</i> Kaup, 1829, and additional data are necessary to conserve the species diversity. To elucidate the phylogenetic positions of <i>Myotis siligorensis</i> (Horsfield, 1855) and <i>Myotis laniger</i> Peters, 1870 within <i>Myotis</i>, high-throughput sequencing technology was employed in this study to obtain the mitochondrial genomes of these two species and to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree of this genus based on 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs). The mitochondrial genomes of <i>M. siligorensis</i> and <i>M. laniger</i> were determined to be 17,067 and 17,104 base pairs in length, respectively, including 22 transfer RNA genes, 13 PCGs, 2 ribosomal RNAs, and a D-loop. Base composition revealed a marked preference for A and T nucleotides, with the highest A + T content in the D-loop (65.6%). Using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree, the results indicated that <i>Myotis</i> is monophyletic, with early speciation events occurring within the group. <i>M. siligorensis</i>, <i>Myotis davidii</i> (Peters, 1869) and <i>M. laniger</i> formed one clade, with <i>M. siligorensis</i> and <i>M. davidii</i> exhibiting a closer phylogenetic relationship with each other than with <i>M. laniger</i>. Our analytical data enhance the foundational database of <i>Myotis</i> mitochondrial genomes, enhancing our understanding of the evolutionary relationships among species within this genus. Highlighting the evolutionary relationships among different species of <i>Myotis</i> provides a solid foundation for subsequent studies on the adaptive evolution and selective pressure in bats.