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Group:
Insect
Estimated genome size:
Its body is about 16-21 mm, and its probiscis (tongue) is 20-47mm long.
Size:
Its body is about 16-21 mm, and its probiscis (tongue) is 20-47mm long.
Distribution:
Its range is in south western Africa, specifically extreme southwestern Namibia through the western part of Northern Cape Province in South Africa (Namaqualand), and into the northwestern portion of the Western Cape Province. Key areas of high diversity include the Kamieskroon area of Namaqualand and the Pakhuis Mountains in the Western Cape.
PromethION Sequencing Report:
Output:
34.81 Gigabases
Approximate N50:
1.09 kilobases
Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:
Genome Length:
0.56 Gigabases
BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):
99.0% [S: 94.7%, D: 4.2%]
Importance:
The Long-tongued fly is important ecologically. It is a keystone pollinator for a whole guild of long-tubed, vividly colored flowers. Through its specialized morphology and behavior, it facilitates efficient and species-specific pollination, supports plant biodiversity, and likely drives co-evolution in its plant partners.
Sample Contributor contact details:
Simon Van Noort
Iziko Museums of South Africa
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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