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Group:
Reptile
Estimated genome size:
17 cm maximum (total body length).
Size:
17 cm maximum (total body length).
Distribution:
It is found in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Western Cape and Northern Cape
provinces of South Africa.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
89.36 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
6.51 kilobases
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Genome Length:
4.53 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
99.6% [Single: 50.6%, Duplicated: 49%]
Importance:
The greater padloper tortoise is endemic to South Africa and contributes to ecosystem stability in the Karoo. As the largest species in the genus Homopus, it is of scientific interest for studies of limb development, as it is one of only two Homopus species with four digits on each foot.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Zhongning Zhao
University of the Free State
Group:
Reptile
Estimated genome size:
Size:
30-50 cm (total body length)
Distribution:
South Africa (Limpopo and Mpumalanga ,extending to coastal KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape), Eswatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe (isolated relict populations)
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
17.93 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
4.83 kilobases
Assembly N50:
42.48 kilobases
Contig number:
53 477
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Assembler used:
Hifiasm
Genome Length:
1.82 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
<80%
BUSCO database:
eukaryota
Acontias plumbeus
Giant legless skink
Importance:
Acontias plumbeus, the largest legless skink, is a fossorial species from Southern Africa that supports soil health and invertebrate balance. Genome sequencing could reveal the genetics of limb loss, refine scincid phylogeny, uncover hidden population structure, and support conservation.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Zhongning Zhao
University of the Free State
Date Published:
2026-05-06
Photo credit:
© L. Kemp
Fauna
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