Up to now the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) sequences of only three species of clitellate have been available. We have determined the complete mitogenome sequences of the elusive Burmese giant earthworm Tonoscolex birmanicus (Clitellata: Megascolecidae), which is endemic to Myanmar. The 15,170-bp long genome contains the 37 genes typical of metazoan mitogenomes [13 protein-coding genes (PCG), two rRNA genes and 22 tRNA genes] and one major non-coding region. All of the 37 genes are transcribed from the same DNA strand. The arrangement of the T. birmanicus mitogenome is identical to that of two within-ordinal species Lumbricus terrestris and Perionyx excavates. All 13 PCGs start with the ATG. For the stop codon, only six PCGs end with the TAA, whereas the remaining ones ends with the incomplete stop codon, T. Genes overlap in a total of 14 bp in five locations, and harbor a total of 16 bp of intergenic spacer sequences in nine locations.

지렁이과 (family Megascolecidae) 왕지렁이속 (genus Amynthas) 그룹을 rDNA ITS 유전자를 이용하여 계통 유연관계를 알아보고자 하였다. 2과 10속에서 26종의 DNA 염기서열을 이용하여 종간 계통적 유연관계를 MP (Maximum Parsimony), NJ (Neighbor Joining), QP (Quartet Puzzling)로 계통도를 작성하였다. 염기서열이 확보된 Megascolecidae (지렁이과)의 국내외