Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Analysis of the Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia) on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Petronia petronia is a highly adaptable passerine bird in the western Palearctic region. Its mitochondrial genome characteristics and intraspecific genetic variation have been poorly studied. This study sequenced and annotated the complete mitochondrial genome of P. petronia. The newly obtained mitochondrial genome was 16,895 bp in length, with an A + T content of 54.50%. By comparing this sequence with another published mitochondrial genome from a different individual of the same species, which differed in elevation by approximately 210 m. The results identified 30 nucleotide variation sites across the 13 protein-coding genes. Among these, ND5 showed the highest number of variations, while COXII and ND6 contained non-synonymous mutations. The similarity between the two control regions was only 70.60%, indicating intraspecific sequence divergence. Divergence time analysis revealed that the genus Petronia diverged from other passerine lineages around 16.5 million years ago, whereas the two haplotypes of P. petronia diverged approximately 0.26 million years ago. This study reports the complete mitochondrial genome of P. petronia and provides a preliminary description of the differences among individuals in mitochondrial sequences and structure, laying a foundation for future population genetics and comparative genomics research on this species.