Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial genome of the albino Northern snakehead, Channa argus (Cantor 1842).

The northern snakehead, Channa argus is a significant economic fish species in Asia and Africa, with an albino strain from China's Jialing River Basin noted for its aquaculture potential due to high nutritional value and temperature resilience. Despite prior research on partial mitochondrial genes, its complete mitochondrial genome was unpublished. This study sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of this albino variant, revealing a 16,558 bp circular DNA molecule with 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and a control region. Phylogenetic analysis based on this genome positioned the species within an early-branching percomorph lineage, Anabantaria, closely related to other Channa species. The high sequence identity with other variants suggests that mitochondrial DNA may not be the primary driver of phenotypic variations like albinism. This study provides the first complete mitochondrial genome sequence for the albino C. argus, enhancing our understanding of Channa genetics and laying a foundation for future research on its evolutionary biology and phenotypic diversity.