Bombyx mandarina (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), the presumed ancestor of B. mori, has long been a subject of study to illustrate the geographic relationships in connection with origin of B. mori. We report 97 mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences of B. mandarina collected from Korea and Japan. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses showed that all individuals of B. mandarina collected in Korean localities formed a strong group together with all individuals originated from northern China (mainly north of the Qinling-Huaihe line) and some of southern China. This group was placed as the sister group to B. mori strians suggesting that this group had been served as an immediate progenitor for B. mori.

• Jee-Young Pyo(Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chonnam National University) Corresponding author
• Jeong Sun Park(Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chonnam National University)
• Min Jee Kim(Honam Regional Office, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency)
• Heon Cheon Jeong(Korea Native Animal Resources Utilization Convergence Research Institute, Soonchunhyang University 4Institute for East Asian Environment and Biology)
• Sung-Soo Kim(Institute for East Asian Environment and Biology)
• Yutaka Banno(Silkworm Resources Division, Institute of Genetic Resources, Kyushu University, Japan)
• Seung Hyun Lee(Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chonnam National University)
• Min Woo Park(Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chonnam National University)
• Iksoo Kim(Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chonnam National University)