ERGA-BGE reference genome of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), an IUCN Vulnerable species
<ns3:p> The Mediterranean monk seal, <ns3:italic>Monachus monachus</ns3:italic> , is the only pinniped that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. The species was recently classified as “vulnerable” by the IUCN, considering an improvement in its overall status. However, the species’ populations have undergone severe bottlenecks due to systematic persecution by humans over the past centuries. Today, the global population of <ns3:italic>M. monachus</ns3:italic> is estimated to be no more than 1,000 individuals. The Mediterranean monk seal is mainly using marine caves as resting and pupping sites. It is an opportunistic apex predator and as a result its role is considered important for maintaining the structure and function of marine ecosystems. Nowadays, the species is threatened mainly by the destruction of its habitat (due to coastal development, mass tourism, and pollution) and by the depletion of its prey due to overfishing. The Mediterranean monk seal is an emblematic species; its ecological importance and its vulnerable status render its protection and effective management necessary. The entirety of the genome sequence of a female specimen was assembled into 16 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules, one sex chromosome (X), and one mitochondrial genome. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 2.4 Gb, composed of 316 contigs and 275 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 90.9 Mb and 157 Mb, respectively. </ns3:p>
Authors
- Eleni Tounta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9775-5164)
- Tereza Manousaki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7518-0542)
- Chiara Bortoluzzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6589-6635)
- Costas S. Tsigenopoulos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0615-7941)
- Thanos Dailianis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4102-9331)
- Xenia Sarropoulou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3671-9693)
- Anastasia Komnenou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6715-3798)
- Panagiotis Dendrinos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2499-7058)
- Christian Tellgren‐Roth (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0502-3693)
- Ignas Bunikis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8375-0451)
- Katerina Vasileiadou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5057-6417)
- Olga Vinnere Pettersson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5597-1870)
- Mai‐Britt Mosbech (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6068-0971)
- Nikitas Vogiatzis
- Rita Monteiro
- Rosa Fernández
- Guilherme B. Dias
- Nuria Escudero
- Astrid Böhne (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1284-3115)
Institutions
- Uppsala University (SE)
- SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (CH)
- University of Crete (GR)
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR)
- Science for Life Laboratory (SE)
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (DE)
- National Institute of Genomic Medicine (MX)
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR)
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (ES)
- Hellenic Society for the Study of Bone Metabolism (GR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Open Research Europe
- Published
- 2026-06-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.23936.1
- Primary Topic
- Marine animal studies overview
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- UK Research and Innovation
- HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme