The complete mitochondrial genome of Slender Giant Moray Strophidon sathete (Hamilton, 1822)

The whole mitochondrial genome of the Slender Giant Moray Strophidon sathete (Hamilton, 1822) from the Hainan island was characterized using next-generation sequencing for the first time. The circular mitogenome of S. sathete is 16,568 bp, with 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a D-loop region. The base composition is little biased (A, G, T, and C was 30.95%, 16.73%, 27.09%, and 25.23%, respectively) with A + T contents of 58.04%. Among 13 PCGs, 12 PCGs use a normal ATG as the start codon except COX1 use GTG; four of them end with TAA or TAG, others terminate with an unusual stop codon. The phylogenetic tree showed that S. sathete was first clustered with Rhinomuraena quaesita and Gymnothorax minor, which further clarify the phylogenetic and evolution position of the genus Strophidon in the family Muraenidae.