The complete mitochondrial genome of Purple Spot Mantis Shrimp Gonodactylus smithii (Pocock, 1893)

In this study, the whole mitochondrial genome of the Purple Spot Mantis Shrimp Gonodactylus smithii from the South China Sea was determined using next-generation sequencing. The circular mitogenome of G. smithii is 16,260 bp long and consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes. The base composition is AT-rich and has an overall AT content of 67.76% (composition of A, G, T, and C was 35.30%, 12.41%, 32.46%, and 19.83%, respectively). Among 13 PCGs, 12 PCGs shared a common ATN as the start codon except COX1 gene using an abnormal putative first codon GCG. 11 PCGs ended with TAA or TAG, while ND6, COX2 gene terminated with a single T and ND3 gene used a special “GAT” as the stop codon. The phylogenetic tree showed that G. smithii was clustered with Gonodactylus chiragra, then together with Gonodactylaceus randalli.