Analyses of the mitochondrial genomes of three Eviphididae mites reveal the phylogenetic position of Eviphididae within Gamasina.

Eviphididae is a family of widely distributed predatory soil mites, notable for the complex phoretic relationships observed between some groups and dung beetles. However, despite their clear ecological and behavioral importance, Eviphididae have received minimal molecular attention, leaving their evolutionary history poorly understood. Here, we present the first study to characterize the mitochondrial genomes of Eviphididae. We assembled and annotated the mitochondrial genomes of Alliphis longicornis, Copriphis huainanensis, and Copriphis falcinellus, and subsequently characterized their genomic features in detail. All three mitogenomes possess the typical 37-gene architecture and exhibit a strong AT-bias in nucleotide composition. Analysis of the Effective Number of Codons (ENC) and related metrics indicates that codon usage patterns in three studied Eviphididae are influenced by both natural selection and random mutational pressure. Phylogenetic analyses strongly support the monophyly of Eviphididae but do not support the monophyly of Eviphidoidea. The family was recovered near the base of the Gamasina phylogeny in a clade with Stylochyrus rarior (Ologamasidae) and Parasitidae, though their precise interrelationships remain unresolved. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular evolution of Eviphididae and lay a genomic foundation for future systematic and evolutionary studies within this enigmatic mite family.