Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the termite Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder

Termites belong to the infraorder Isoptera within the order Blattodea. Reticulitermes chinensis Snyder, a species in the Rhinotermitidae family, remains a major pest causing severe damage to wooden structures in buildings. Here, the chromosome-level genome of R. chinensis was assembled using PacBio and Hi-C technologies. The final genome comprises 21 pseudochromosomes, with a total size of 1.02 Gb. The scaffold N50 is 47.29 Mb, the GC content is 29.46%, and 94% of sequences were anchored to pseudochromosomes. The BUSCO completeness score is 97.6%. The genome contains 23,733 predicted protein-coding genes, and 48.74% of it consists of repetitive sequences. This high-quality genome is conducive to understanding unique termite traits such as social behavior, efficient lignocellulose digestion, and evolutionary adaptations.