Three annotated tiger beetle genomes (Coleoptera, Adephaga, Cicindelidae)

Abstract

Advances and accessibility to next-generation technology provide opportunities to sequence non-model organisms. Despite this increase in whole-genome sequencing data, annotation and the production of reference genomes remain limited. Reference genomes are a critical tool for a variety of studies in evolutionary biology, functional genomics, and conservation genetics. Tiger beetles (Cicindelidae) are a diverse and globally distributed family of beetles that serve as bioindicator taxa and flagship species for insect conservation. Here, we report highly complete, contiguous, and annotated genome assemblies representing draft reference genomes for three species of tiger beetle spanning the phylogeny. These draft reference genomes are for Audouins night-stalking tiger beetle, Omus audouini; the montane giant tiger beetle, Amblycheila baroni; and the western red-bellied tiger beetle, Cicindelidia sedecimpunctata. Article SummaryTiger beetles are a charismatic group with [~]3000 species distributed globally. Despite their popularity among insect enthusiasts and their role as bioindicators of ecosystem health, the group currently lacks a reference genome. This article outlines genome assembly and annotation for three tiger beetle species that span evolutionary relationships within the lineage. Quality control analyses show that the assemblies are reference quality and demonstrate high contiguity, completeness, and accuracy. The resulting draft genome annotations will be a valuable resource for scientific endeavors and allow for continued research on tiger beetles and their allies.