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Group:
Reptile
Estimated genome size:
10 - 20 cm (total body length)
Size:
10 - 20 cm (total body length)
Distribution:
Endemic to the Republic of South Africa, occurring in Little Namaqualand from Port Nolloth to Clanwilliam.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
48.66 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
5.93 kilobases
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Genome Length:
1.56 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
98.8% [S: 96.9%, D: 2.0%]
Importance:
It serves as an important model species for studying specific stages of limb development within the genus Scelotes, representing an intermediate limb development stage (forelimb digits = 0; hindlimb digits = 2), and for investigating the genomic evolution of vertebrates. It has a restricted distribution and occurs in distinct habitats and regions, making it an excellent model species for biogeographic and molecular ecology studies.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Dr. Zhongning Zhao
University of Free State
Group:
Mammal
Estimated genome size:
Size:
Medium-sized canids, males on average 40 cm tall (at the shoulder) and 8 kg in weight, females typically weigh around 7 kg.
Distribution:
There are two subspecies. The southern subspecies presented here, Lupulella. m. mesomelas, occurs from the southern part of South Africa to the southwestern part of Angola, northern Botswana, central Zimbabwe, and southwestern Mozambique. L. m. schmidti occurs further north.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
55.29 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
5.2 kilobases
Assembly N50:
6 811.19 kilobases
Contig number:
2 942
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Assembler used:
Flye
Genome Length:
2.33 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
99.2% [Single: 87.8%, Duplicated: 11.4%]
BUSCO database:
eukaryota
Lupulella mesomelas
Black-backed jackal
Importance:
The black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas, formerly Canis mesomelas) is a keystone species in South Africa, maintaining ecosystem balance through rodent control and carrion scavenging that limits disease spread. Its climate adaptability makes it ecologically significant. Genome sequencing is crucial for understanding disease resistance (e.g., rabies resilience), revealing evolutionary adaptations among canids, conserving genetic diversity amid habitat loss, and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Dr Carel J Oosthuizen
University of Pretoria
Date Published:
2025-08-27
Photo credit:
© A. Webster
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