The Complete Chromosome‐Level Genome and Mitogenome Assembly of Seriola lalandi lalandi (Yellowtail Kingfish) for Aquaculture and Fisheries Management

Abstract

ABSTRACT Seriola lalandi comprises three genetically distinct clades, with S. lalandi lalandi inhabiting the Southern Hemisphere. While a chromosome‐level genome exists for the Northwestern Pacific S. lalandi aureovittata, no such resource is available for S. lalandi lalandi , limiting genetic research and aquaculture advancements. This study presents a high‐quality chromosome‐level genome assembly of S. lalandi lalandi using Illumina short‐read, long‐read (ONT) and Hi‐C. A total of 289.12 Gb of raw genomic data were generated, and a final assembly of 644 Mb was produced with 99.64% of the assembled bases anchored into 24 pseudo‐chromosomes. Genome annotation identified 24,600 protein‐coding genes, with 96.1% completeness based on 3640 Benchmarking Universal Single‐Copy Orthologues (BUSCO). Additionally, the complete mitogenome was assembled and annotated for S. lalandi lalandi . This genomic resource will help to inform comparative genomic studies, improve aquaculture breeding programmes, and support appropriate fishery strategies, particularly in Aotearoa New Zealand, where S. lalandi lalandi is a culturally significant species for Māori.