Complete mitochondrial genome of the Mormon metalmark butterfly, Apodemia mormo (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae).

We report the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Apodemia mormo in the lepidopteran family Riodinidae. The 15,262 bp long complete genome was comprised of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and 1 major non-coding A + T-rich region, with the arrangement typically found in the majority of Lepidoptera. The genes of A. mormo were interleaved with a total of 168 bp, which were spread over 16 regions and overlapped 58 bp at eight locations. All tRNAs of the A. mormo mitogenome formed a typical cloverleaf structure, except tRNA(Ser(AGN)), which formed a truncated dihydrouridine arm. The COI gene started with CGA as seen in other Lepidoptera, instead of canonical ATN. The 349 bp long A + T-rich region harbored conserved sequence blocks, such as an ATAGA motif, a poly-T stretch, a conserved ATTTA sequence, and a microsatellite A/T repeat typically found in Lepidoptera, but absent from the tRNA-like pseudogene.