Mitochondrial genome of the jack silverside, Atherinopsis californiensis (Atherinopsidae, Atheriniformes), a nearshore fish of the California Current Ecosystem

The jack silverside (Atherinopsis californiensis), also referred to as jacksmelt, is a neotropical silverside fish that inhabits nearshore shallow waters of the California Current Ecosystem in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, ranging from the coast of Oregon, USA, in the north to as far south as Baja California, Mexico. This fish is the sole member of its genus and is a commonly taken species when hook-and-line fishing in pelagic-neritic environments including bays, estuaries, kelp forests, and along sand beaches. Here we report the first complete mitochondrial genome of jack silverside consisting of 16,519 bp nucleotides and encoding 13 protein-coding regions, 12S and 16S rRNAs, 22 tRNAs, and an 841 bp D-loop control region. Phylogenetic analysis using all protein-coding genes of the complete mitogenome confirmed the inclusion of A. californiensis within subfamily Atherinopsinae of family Atherinopsidae, order Atheriniformes. This complete mitochondrial DNA genome will be of use for biodiversity assessments in the California Current ecosystem, while also providing a foundation for future mtDNA population genetic studies on this prominently caught species in shore- and pier-based recreational sport fishing.