Fig. 1

Mitochondrial gene arrangements in the sarcoptiform mites. Underlined genes are on the N-strand. Translocated or inverted genes are color-coded (blue: inversion and translocation; green: translocation; orange: inversion). rRNA genes are in grey; control regions are in black. Abbreviations of protein-coding genes are: atp6 and atp8 for ATP synthase subunits 6 and 8; cox1–3 for cytochrome oxidase subunits 1–3; cob for cytochrome b; nad1–6 and nad4L for NADH dehydrogenase subunits 1–6 and 4 L; rrnL and rrnS for large and small rRNA subunits; tRNA genes are indicated by the single-letter IUPAC-IUB abbreviations for their corresponding amino acids. Type I: a common pattern among sarcoptiform mites, found in different genera and families. Type II: same as Type I except for the translocation of three tRNA genes (trnV, trnW and trnF). Type III: same as Type I except for the translocation of four tRNA genes (trnS ₂ , trnC, trnF and trnA). Type IV: similar to Type I but trnV was translocated and trnI was reversed except for the loss of three tRNA genes. Type V: very different from Type I. Asterisks under tRNA genes indicate those retrieved by our manual approach