Genome assemblies of three closely related leaf beetle species (Galerucella spp.)

Galerucella (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a leaf beetle genus that has been extensively used for ecological and evolutionary studies. It has also been used as biological control agent against invading purple loosestrife in North America, with large effects on biodiversity. Here, we report genome assembly and annotation of three closely related Galerucella species: G. calmariensis, G. pusilla, and G. tenella. The three assemblies have a genome size ranging from 460 to 588 Mbp, with N50 from 31,588 to 79,674 kbp, containing 29,202 to 40,929 scaffolds. Using an ab initio evidence-driven approach, 30,302 to 33,794 protein-coding genes were identified and functionally annotated. These draft genomes will contribute to the understanding of host-parasitoid interactions, evolutionary comparisons of leaf beetle species and future population genomics studies.