Characterisation of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Phylogenetic Analysis of Xystrocera festiva (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a Major Stem-Boring Pest of Falcataria falcata Plantations in Indonesia

Abstract* Background Xystrocera festiva (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a major stem-borer pest of Falcataria falcata plantations in Indonesia, causing substantial economic losses, while current control strategies remain limited due to the insect’s cryptic larval behavior and insufficient molecular understanding. This study aimed to characterize the mitochondrial genome and infer the phylogenetic position of Xystocera festiva using a whole genome sequencing (WGS) approach. Method Genomic DNA was sequenced using the DNBSEQ platform. Data processing, including quality control, trimming, assembly, and annotation, was conducted following Galaxy workflows. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using Xystrocera festiva mitochondrial genome, 8 mitochondrial genomes from family Cerambicydae as reference genomes and Helota thoracica from Helotidae as an outgroup. The tree was reconstructed with IQ-Tree under the maximum-likelihood method . Result Raw data sequencing generated 39.33 million reads after filtering to 5.8 Gb bases and GC content to 32.99%. The de novo assembly of whole genome sequencing data generated 217,002 contigs, total assembly length reached 616,718,247 bp, the N50 value of 3,994 bp, L50 value of 46,453, and GC content of 32.06%. The assembled mitochondrial genome was 15,699 bp in length and comprised 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs, consistent with typical metazoan mitochondrial organization. Phylogenetic analysis showed that X. festiva clusters closely with Xystrocera globosa , supporting its taxonomic classification and indicating sufficient phylogenetic signal in the dataset. Conclusion This study provides the first mitochondrial genome characterization of X. festiva from Indonesia and supports its evolutionary placement within the genus Xystrocera , offering a valuable molecular resource for future phylogenetic, comparative genomic, and pest management studies.