The complete mitochondrial genome and phylogeny of Geospiza magnirostris (Passeriformes: Thraupidae)

Geospiza magnirostris, an island species, was listed as of Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; human entrapment, habitat destruction, predators, and competitors from the mainland have reduced its population. In this study, we first determined and described the complete mitochondrial genome of G. magnirostris; the circular genome of G. magnirostris is 16.798 bp in length, and contains 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one non-coding control region (D-loop). The overall base composition of the mitochondrial DNA is 29.9% for A, 22.8% for T, 33.2% for C, and 14.1% for G. The percentage of G + C content is 47.3%. A phylogenetic tree was conducted to explore the taxonomic status of G. magnirostris, and showed that G. magnirostris is clustered in a clade with other Thraupidae species. This information will contribute to future phylogenetic studies of Passeriformes and further conservation strategies for this species.