Based upon the morphological characters, the genus Triplophysa (plateau Loach) is a highly diverse group in the family Balitoridae (or Cypriniformes, Cobitoidea) with 133 valid species. Therefore, the taxonomic relationship of this species at the genetic level remains ambiguous. In the present study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of Triplophysa dorsalis. In order to understand its position and genetic background at the gene level, the characteristics of mitochondrial DNA sequences and phylogenetic relationship were examined. The mitochondrial genome of T. dorsalis is similar to those of the typical vertebrates, 16 572 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a non-coding control region (D-loop). All genes were encoded on the heavy strand except for ND6 and 8 tRNA genes. The overall base composition of the heavy strand was 28.16%, 28.41%, 25.62% and 17.82% for A, T, C and G, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the seven Triplophysa species clustered together with T. dorsalis to form a sister group with Triplophysa strauchii, T. bleekeri, T. stoliczkai and T. bombifrons. The two genera Triplophysa and Barbatula formed a sister-group relationship, the species Homatula potanini located in the intermediate position, and the genus Leptobotia elongata was in the basal position in the subfamily Nemacheilidae. Further investigations with more Triplophysa species need to be performed for better understanding of the evolutionary history of this fascinating genus.
Keywords: Control region; Triplophysa dorsalis; mitogenome; phylogenetic relationship.