Whole-genome sequence of the African Common Reed Frog (Hyperolius viridiflavus viridiflavus) from Ethiopia

Amphibians of the Afrobatrachia clade represent a major component of sub-Saharan Africa's biodiversity, yet they remain underrepresented in genomic databases. Here, we present the first whole-genome assembly of the Common Reed Frog, Hyperolius viridiflavus viridiflavus Ahl, 1931 from Ethiopia, a member of the H. viridiflavus superspecies complex. The genome was sequenced using PacBio HiFi long-read technology and assembled de novo with HiFiasm, resulting in a 4.4 Gb assembly across 10,009 contigs with an N50 of 1.09 Mb. Genome completeness had a BUSCO score of 84.2%, with 29,809 annotated genes, including 27,983 protein-coding genes and 942 long non-coding RNAs. Despite a similar estimated size, scaffolding against the chromosome-level genome of Hyperolius riggenbachi Nieden, 1910 revealed low mapping coverage (0.0654 per base across 1 Mb windows), likely due to phylogenetic divergence (∼14 Mya) and high repeat content. The complete mitochondrial genome (23,453 bp) was also assembled and annotated, revealing structural differences from closely related species. Phylogenomic analyses using 416 single-copy BUSCO genes and mitochondrial 16S sequences confirmed the distinctiveness of H. v. viridiflavus within the Hyperoliidae. As only one other Afrobatrachian genome exceeds 50% completeness in public databases (H. riggenbachi), this genome expands the resources available for African frogs and supports future research in systematics and conservation. Further, when considering the complex taxonomy and evolutionary history of the H. viridiflavus superspecies complex, this genome can serve as a tool for species delimitation and conservation when compared to other species and subspecies within the clade.