ERGA-BGE reference genome of the forest-restricted Cretan subspecies of Hanak's bat ( <i>Pipistrellus hanaki creticus</i>), an IUCN Vulnerable species

Hanak's bat ( <i>Pipistrellus hanaki</i> Hulva and Benda 2004) is one of the most range restricted mammals in Europe, since it occurs only in Cyrenaica, Libya, and Crete (Greece). It is currently classified as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List, with its foraging habitat threatened by a number of human activities. The reference genome of the Cretan subspecies ( <i>Pipistrellus hanaki creticus</i>) will provide a crucial resource for uncovering the species phylogenetic history and will help assess the degree of genetic isolation among the species populations. A total of 23 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules (sex chromosomes included) were assembled from the genome sequence. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 1.9 Gb, composed of 447 contigs and 141 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 48.7 Mb and 89.1 Mb, respectively.