The first high-quality chromosome-level genome of Parupeneus biaculeatus using HiFi and Hi-C data

Parupeneus biaculeatus, also known as pointed goatfish, belongs to the family Mullidae and is distinguished by its unique hyoid barbels containing sensory organs and a specialized foraging strategy, setting it apart from other fish species and making it an ideal model for studying biological adaptations and evolutionary processes. In this study, we present a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly for P. biaculeatus using HiFi long reads and Hi-C data. The assembled genome has a total length of 657.58 Mb with a contig N50 of 9.35 Mb, organized into 22 chromosomes covering 99.34% of the genome. A total of 22,490 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 98.37% were functionally annotated. Repeat analysis revealed that 34.83% of the genome consists of repetitive sequences. The genome assembly achieved an estimated completeness of 99.30% according to BUSCO analysis. This genomic resource provides new opportunities for understanding the biological traits, adaptive mechanisms, and evolutionary history of P. biaculeatus, and lays a foundation for further genomic studies within the family Mullidae.