The genome of the Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii), an agamid model for urban adaptation.

The Journal of heredity
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Squamate reptiles are a highly diverse and intriguing group of tetrapods, offering valuable insights into the evolution of amniotes. The Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii) is a member of the Agamidae, and sister to the core mesic Australian endemic radiation (Amphibolurinae). The species is renowned for its urban adaptability and complex social systems. We report a 1.8 Gb chromosome-length genome assembly together with the annotation of 23,675 protein-coding genes. Comparative analysis with other squamate genomes highlights gene family expansions associated with immune function, energetic homeostasis, and wound healing. This reference genome will serve as a valuable resource for studies of evolution and environmental resilience in lizards.

Year of Publication
2024
Journal
The Journal of heredity
Date Published
10/2024
ISSN
1465-7333
DOI
10.1093/jhered/esae054
PubMed ID
39364696
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