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Phylum:

Chordata

Estimated genome size:

3 – 4 meters

Organism size:

3 – 4 meters

Distribution:

Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

PromethION Sequencing Report:

Output:

110.47 Gigabases

Approximate N50:

8.38 kilobases

Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:

Genome Length:

3.16 Gigabases

BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):

98.8% [S: 82.7%, D: 15.3%]

Importance:

African savanna elephants are the largest land animals and crucial ecosystem engineers. Listed as endangered by the IUCN Red list, they are vital for South African tourism. This project aims to sequence the genome of a wild bull elephant from a native KZN population, providing valuable genetic data beyond existing zoo based or outdated sequences.

Sample Contributor contact details

Dr Carel J. Oosthuizen
University of Pretoria

Phylum:

Magnoliophyta

Estimated genome size:

739 million DNA base pairs (0.74 Gigabases)

Organism size:

Up to 2 meters in height

Distribution:

Strelitzia alba has a restricted range, occurring along South Africa's Garden Route in the coastal forests of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape. It thrives in evergreen forests, gorges, and river slopes.

PromethION Sequencing Report:

Output:

39.29 Gigabases

Approximate N50:

5.04 kilobases

Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:

Genome Length:

530.29 million bases (0.53 Gigabases)

BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):

99.2% [S: 58.4%, D: 40.8%]

Strelitzia alba

Cape wild banana

Species Card Details

Importance:

The white-flowered wild banana or Cape wild banana is a striking plant endemic to South Africa's Garden Route. It plays an important ecological role in its forest habitat. Although classified as not endangered, wild populations face pressure from harvesting seeds and side shoots for cultivation. Its distinctive white flowers make it a sought-after species, contributing to its commercial and conservation significance.

Sample Contributor contact details

Prof. Eshchar Mizrachi
University of Pretoria

Date Published

2025-02-17

DOI

Photo credit:

© G.J. Mann

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