Analysis of the first complete mitogenome of Pelecorhynchus vulpes (Macquart) (Diptera: Pelecorhynchidae) and its implications on Tabanomorpha

We sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of the fly Pelecorhynchus vulpes (Macquart, 1850) utilizing complete mitochondrial genome sequences and examining the position of Pelecorhynchidae in Tabanomorpha. P. vulpes is the first representative of the genera Pelecorhynchus and family Pelecorhynchidae, with complete mitochondrial data. The mitochondrial genome is 15,262 bp in length, comprising 37 typical genes, including two rRNA (small subunit ribosomal RNA and large subunit ribosomal RNA), 22 tRNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), and a control region. Pelecorhynchus vulpes is a rare species that is poorly represented in collections in Chile and abroad. It is hypothesized to have a short flight period, and its population may have diminished because of significant anthropogenic activity in its area of distribution. Bayesian inference analysis supported the monophyly of Pelecorhynchidae, consistent with recent research employing a combination of morphological and molecular characteristics.