Abstract
This is the first report on the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of South African Thyrsites atun (Euphrasén, 1791) and its phylogenetic placement within the Gempylidae family. The complete mitogenome of snoek is 16,494 bp in length and comprises 2 rRNAs, 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and one control region. Gene order is similar to that found in gempylids and other marine fishes. Reconstruction of Gempylidae phylogeny implies that the mitogenomes of snoek, black snoek Thyrsitoides marleyi, and snake mackerel, Gempylus serpens are closely related in evolutionary terms.