Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the dune cricket Schizodactylus jimo

The dune cricket Schizodactylus jimo (Orthoptera: Schizodactylidae) is a unique insect because of its folded forward wings. Despite its captivating wing morphology and potential bionic significance, the genomic basis underlying the evolutionary and ecological significance of its wing folding is still lacking. Here, we construct a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of S. jimo, utilizing PacBio HiFi long reads, Illumina short reads, and Hi-C sequencing data. The assembled genome is 1.33 Gb in length, with a scaffold N50 of 216.2 Mb and nine pseudochromosomes. The assembly demonstrates 98.1% completeness based on insect universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO). Comprehensive annotation identified 12,612 protein-coding genes, extensive repeat elements (45.7%), and diverse non-coding RNA genes. This genomic dataset provides a valuable resource for understanding the evolutionary adaptations and ecological specialization of the dune cricket with folded forward wings, and facilitates future comparative genomics and functional studies within Orthoptera and other sand-dwelling insects.