A chromosomal-level genome assembly of Araneus marmoreus Schenkel, 1953 (Araneae: Araneidae)

The marbled orb-weaver spider, Araneus marmoreus (Araneae: Araneidae), is distinguished by its unique inflated, pumpkin-like abdomen. Numerous genome studies have been conducted on Araneidae species, providing insights into their unique biological traits. However, studies on A. marmoreus remain limited, despite its ecological significance and intriguing morphology. The lack of a high-quality reference genome has further hindered in-depth exploration of its evolutionary biology and ecological dynamics. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome assembly for A. marmoreus, generated using a combination of Illumina, PacBio, and Hi-C sequencing technologies. The assembled genome is 2.39 Gb in size, comprising 13 chromosomes, with a scaffold N50 of 181.8 Mb and a contig N50 of 721.3 kb. The assembly achieved a BUSCO completeness score of 97.1% (n = 2,934), including 91.0% complete and single-copy BUSCOs and 6.1% complete and duplicated BUSCOs. Repetitive sequences accounted for 59.25% of the genome, and 23,381 protein-coding genes were annotated. This high-quality genome provides a valuable resource for advancing research into the evolutionary genomics and ecological dynamics of A. marmoreus.