Chromosome-level genome assembly of the cricket Dianemobius fascipes (Insecta: Orthoptera)

Abstract Dianemobius fascipes belongs to the superfamily Grylloidea within the order Orthoptera. Orthoptera is the only known insect order that has undergone genome gigantism, making it an ideal model for studying the mechanisms of genome expansion and contraction. In this study, we assembled a chromosome-level genome of D. fascipes using a combination of HiFi sequencing and Hi-C technology. The assembled genome is 1.676 Gb in size, with a scaffold N50 of 180.3 Mb, and 97.34% of contigs were anchored to nine chromosomes. The final assembly exhibited high completeness, with a BUSCO score of 98.2%. Genome annotation revealed that repetitive sequences accounted for 41.55% of the assembly, and 14,829 protein-coding genes were identified. This high-quality genome assembly of D. fascipes provides a valuable resource for comparative genomic analyses of orthopteran insects. In addition, this chromosome-level genome assembly provides a foundation for investigating the evolution and underlying mechanisms of genome gigantism.