Abstract
The silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor Thomas, 1910) is the only endemic ungulate species in Vietnam and among the most little-known ungulates in the world. The species currently has a very narrow distribution area and is facing many threats of extinction due to habitat loss and illegal hunting. In this study, we describe complete mitochondrial genome of T. versicolor and its taxonomic position within Tragulidae. The circular genome is 16,317 bp in length, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one control region, with a GC content of 40.3%. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete mitochondrial genomes using the maximum-likelihood method confirms the monophyly of Tragulidae and the distinct position of T. versicolor within Tragulus. This is the first publicly available mitogenome of T. versicolor (GenBank accession no. PV872897), which provides an essential resource for future studies on evolution, taxonomy, and conservation of this elusive species.