A high-quality reference genome for the critically endangered Aeolian wall lizard, Podarcis raffonei

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Conservation Biology
• Herpetology

Background:

• The Aeolian wall lizard (Podarcis raffonei) is a critically endangered species endemic to the Aeolian archipelago.
• Its extremely limited range, population fragmentation, and decline necessitate urgent conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce a high-quality, chromosome-scale reference genome for Podarcis raffonei.
• To provide a valuable genomic resource for guiding conservation efforts and understanding squamate reptile evolution.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) High Fidelity (HiFi) long-read sequencing.
• Employed Bionano optical mapping and Arima chromatin conformation capture sequencing (Hi-C).

Main Results:

• Generated a 1.51 Gb chromosome-scale assembly with 28 scaffolds.
• Achieved a contig N50 of 61.4 Mb and scaffold N50 of 93.6 Mb.
• Reached a BUSCO completeness score of 97.3%, including Z and W sex chromosomes.

Conclusions:

• The high-quality reference genome is a vital tool for the conservation of Podarcis raffonei.
• This resource will benefit research on squamate reptiles, which are currently underrepresented in genomic data.