The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Gynaephora alpherakii (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) has been sequenced and annotated in this study. This mitogenome is 15,755 bp in length with an A + T content of 81.44%, and contains 37 typical animal mitochondrial genes that are arranged in the same order as that of other lepidopteran species. All protein-coding genes (PCGs) start with a typical ATN codon, with the exception of cox1 which uses CGA as the initial codon. All of the 22 transfer RNA genes present the typical clover leaf secondary structure. The A + T-rich region is located between rrnS and trnM with a length of 449 bp, and contains a 19 bp poly-T stretch as found in other lepidopteran mitogenomes. This is the third completely sequenced mitogenome from the family Lymantriidae of Lepidoptera.
Keywords: Grassland caterpillar; Noctuoidea; Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau; insects; mitogenome.