Mitogenomics reveals two cryptic species in Ciona intestinalis

Individual mitochondrial genes or genomic features are commonly used as phylogenetic markers at many taxonomic levels. We used a mitogenomics approach to demonstrate the existence of two cryptic species in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, a model chordate whose status as a single species has recently been questioned. Comprehensive comparative analysis of the mitochondrial genome of the two cryptic species revealed significant differences in gene order, size and number of noncoding regions, compositional features and divergence of protein-coding genes.