Chromosome-level genome assembly of the teak defoliator Hyblaea puera Cramer (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae)

Abstract The teak defoliator, Hyblaea puera, is a major pest damaging teak plantations and mangrove ecosystems. The high reproductive and dispersal capacities of this pest often lead to sudden and explosive outbreaks, posing challenges for its control. Genomic insights into this pest could help to elucidate its ecological adaptation and inform effective management strategies. Here, a high-quality genome of H. puera was assembled using integrated Illumina, PacBio HiFi, and Hi-C sequencing data. The final chromosome assembly is 394.93 Mb with a contig N50 of 11.49 Mb. A total of 96.97% of assembled sequences were anchored to 31 pseudo-chromosomes. Approximately 26.64% of the genome sequences comprise repetitive elements. Genome annotation identified 15,364 protein-coding genes, of which 86.79% (13,334) were functionally characterized. The completeness of the assembled genome was estimated to be 97.73% using BUSCO. This high-quality genome provides valuable resources for understanding the ecological adaptation and developing control strategies of H. puera.