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Group:
Reptile
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
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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