The fruit fly Zeugodacus tau (Diptera: tephritidae) is a major pest of melons and other cucurbitsin Southeast Asia. In this study, we used Illumina, Nanopore, and Hi-C sequencing technologiesto assemble a reference genome of Z. tau at the chromosomal level. The assembled genome was421.79 Mb and consisted of six chromosomes (one X-chromosome + five autosomes). The contig N50was 4.23 Mb. We identified 20,922 protein-coding genes, of which 17,251 (82.45%) were functionallyannotated. Additionally, we found 247 rRNAs, 435 tRNAs, 67 small nuclear RNAs, and 829 small RNAsin the genome. Repetitive elements accounted for 55.30 Mb (13.15%) of the genome. This high-qualitygenome assembly is valuable for evolutionary and genetic studies of Z. tau and its relative species.Background & SummaryThe tau fruit fly Zeugodacus tau (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a polyphagous pest that has invaded many regionsworldwide, causing serious agricultural losses 1 . This species was previously classified in the subgenusZeugodacus of the genus Bactrocera. Recently, the subgenus Zeugodacus was elevated to the genus level 2. Speciesof Zeugodacus are considered more harmful than those of Bactrocera due to their high adaptability and invasiveability3 . Zeugodacus tau has been listed as a quarantine species in many regions and countries, including China,the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Japan 4,5 . Currently, Z. tau is distributed in most regions of southernChina. It is generally present in tropical and subtropical Asia, sub-equatorial Africa, Australia, the SolomonIslands, and the South Pacific region 3,6 . Field monitoring has shown that Z. tau continues to expand to thehigh-latitude areas. However, there is limited data on historical records, and this species’ origin and colonizationhistory remain unknown. Genetic studies may help reveal the adaptation and predict the future dispersal of thisspecies. Due to the lack of genome data, studies on the invasion and genetics of Z. tau have been limited to themitochondrial level 7 . Obtaining genomic data for this worldwide invasive insect could aid in controlling thespread of this pest and provide information on other invasive species.In this study, we assembled a chromosome-level genome of Z. tau using a combination of Nanoporelong-read, Illumina short-read sequencing, and chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) technologies. Wethen performed structural and functional annotation on the obtained genome, incorporating transcriptomedata from all developmental stages of Z. tau. This high-quality reference genome of Z. tau serves as a valuableresource for understanding the genetics, ecology, and evolution of Z. tau and providing information on theenvironmental adaptability and invasion mechanism of Tephritidae peats.

Scientific Data，IF=9.8

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597