Complete Mitochondrial Genome of a Karst-dwelling Gecko, Gekko liboensis (Zhou and Li, 1982)
Jing Cao, Phuping Sucharitakul, Fang Yan, Chatmongkon Suwannapoom and Siriwadee Chomdej* Author for corresponding; e-mail address: siriwadee.ch@cmu.ac.th
Volume :Vol.52 No.4 (July 2025)
Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12982/CMJS.2025.048
Received: 19 Febuary 2025, Revised: 3 May 2025, Accepted: 8 May 2025, Published: 2 July 2025
Citation: Cao J., Sucharitakul P., Yan F., Suwannapoom C. and Chomdej S., Complete mitochondrial genome of a karst-dwelling gecko, Gekko liboensis (Zhou and Li, 1982). Chiang Mai Journal of Science, 2025; 52(4): e2025048. DOI 10.12982/CMJS.2025.048.
Graphical Abstract
Abstract
Gekko liboensis is a karst-dwelling endemic species to China, with identification currently based solely on morphology. This study presents the first complete mitogenome of G. liboensis, collected from Libo, Guizhou, China. The genome is circular, spanning 18,079 bp, and contains 37 typical mitochondrial genes of the family Gekkonidae and one control region. Phylogenetic reconstructions, based on nine complete mitochondrial genomes and 25 concatenated 16S rRNA and ND2 sequences using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods, support the placement of G. liboensis within the subgenus Japonigekko, identifying G. paucituberculatus as its closest relative. These findings support previous morphological and phylogenetic studies within Japonigekko taxonomy. The newly obtained genomic data enhance our understanding of mitogenome structure and offer valuable insights into the genetic diversity and evolutionary background of G. liboensis. This study contributes to the growing genomic resources for gekkonid reptiles and aids future phylogenetic and conservation research.