Near complete T2T genome assembly of the banded goonch (Bagarius rutilus)

The order Siluriformes, a hyperdiverse teleost clade with over 3,000 species, exemplifies adaptive radiation through significant phenotypic innovations such as aerial respiration. However, the limited availability of high-quality genomes, particularly in underrepresented families such as Sisoridae, has hindered phylogenomic and mechanistic studies of their ecological diversification. Here, we present a nearly complete telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly of Bagarius rutilus (Banded Goonch) generated by a hybrid sequencing approach integrating PacBio HiFi, Oxford Nanopore ultra-long and Hi-C technologies. The 618.3 Mb genome (contig N50 = 21.06 Mb, scaffold N50 = 25.46 Mb) was resolved into 26 chromosomes, achieving a genome coverage of 98.17%. The quality of the assembly was validated by a BUSCO score of 97.5% (Actinopterygii_odb10) and high conservation of synteny with other catfish species. Based on RNA sequencing, homology-based and de novo annotation, we identified 29,106 protein-coding genes. This chromosome-level genome represents one of the highest quality Siluriformes assemblies to date and provides a critical resource for reconstructing adaptive landscapes and exploring the genetic basis of phenotypic innovation in catfish.