The complete sequence of mitochondrial DNA of a Kwangtung skate, Dipturus kwangtungensis, was determined as being circular molecules of 16,912 bp including 2 rRNA, 22 tRNA, 13 protein coding genes (PCGs) and a control region. The arrangement of the PCGs is the same as that found in other Rajidae species. The nucleotide of L-strand which encodes most of the proteins is composed of 30.2% A, 27.4% C, 28.2% T and 14.2% G with a bias toward A+T slightly. Twelve of 13 PCGs are initiated by the ATG codon while COX1 starts with GTG. Only ND4 harbors the incomplete termination codon, TA. All tRNA genes have a typical clover-leaf structure of mitochondrial tRNA with the exception of tRNA(Ser)AGY, which has a reduced DHU arm. This mitogenome is the first report for a species of the genus Dipturus, which will become an important source of information on the phylogenetic relationship and the evolution of the genus Dipturus within the family Rajidae.
Keywords: Dipturus kwangtungensis; Kwangtung skate; Rajidae; mitochondrial genome.