A chromosome-level reference genome assembly of the Small snakehead (Channa asiatica)

The Small snakehead (Channa asiatica) is an economically important species in both aquaculture and ornamental trade, mainly distributed in South China and Southeast Asia. Despite its significance, limited genomic resources have impeded in-depth genetic studies and breeding programs. In this study, we used PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing, Illumina short-read sequencing, and Hi-C technologies to generate a high-quality chromosome-level genome of the C. asiatica. The final genome spans 659.44 Mb, with an impressive 98.18% anchored to 23 chromosomes. Notably, the contig N50 and scaffold N50 are 23.92 Mb and 29.61 Mb, validated by a BUSCO completeness score of 98.93%. Genome annotation identified 26,603 protein-coding genes, 99.29% of which were confirmed by BUSCO analysis, and 93.68% were functionally annotated. Approximately 27.72% of the genome sequences were classified as repeat elements. This high-fidelity genome assembly provides a robust foundation for advancing molecular breeding, comparative genomics, and evolutionary studies of C. asiatica and related species.