Macropodus opercularis is a popular ornamental fish and has been widely transported around the world. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of M. opercularis was reported. The circular genome is 16,496 bp in length and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and one control region. The overall nucleotide composition was 30.9% A, 29.6% T, 24.7% C, and 14.8% G, with an A + T bias of 60.5%. The gene composition and the structural arrangement of the M. opercularis complete mtDNA were identical to most of the other vertebrates. The molecular data presented here could play a useful role in studying the evolutionary relationships and population genetics of Macropodusinae fish.
Keywords: Macropodus opercularis; Macropodusinae; mitochondrial genome.