Comparative Mitogenomics and Phylogeny of Geotrupidae (Insecta: Coleoptera): Insights from Two New Mitogenomes of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Dung Beetles.

ABSTRACT: The dung beetle family Geotrupidae (Scarabaeoidea) plays a vital ecological role in nutrient cycling and soil health, yet the scarcity of complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) data has hindered phylogenetic and comparative studies within this family. Here, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the first complete mitogenomes of Geotrupes stercorarius and Phelotrupes auratus, collected from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Comparative analysis of these two novel mitogenomes with eight existing mitogenomes revealed conserved architectural features across Geotrupidae, such as gene arrangement, tRNA secondary structures, and small intergenic spacers. Nucleotide composition was largely conserved, though marked divergence occurred at the third codon positions. Substantial structur

SUBMITTER: Wang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12838160 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature