Sequencing the genome and somatic transcriptome of Brachyhypopomus gauderio

Brachyhypopomus gauderio is a South American weakly electric fish in the family Hypopomidae (bluntnose knifefishes). Members of this genus generate electric organ discharges that are used for both communication and navigation, making them an important comparative system for understanding the independent evolution of electrosensory and electromotor systems in vertebrates. At a 2016 meeting of the international electric fish research community, B. gauderio was identified as a priority species for developing genomic and genetic tools, alongside the African mormyrid Brienomyrus brachyistius. Both species can be bred readily in captivity, have relatively short generation times, and have validated protocols for CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. This project reports the sequencing of the genome and somatic transcriptome of B. gauderio, providing foundational resources for future studies in neurobiology, behavior, evolution, and functional genomics of electric fish.