Tetraopes tetrophthalmus isolate:DDM7050 Genome sequencing. Tetraopes tetrophthalmus isolate:DDM7050

Tetraopes are brightly-coloured aposematic longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) found throughout North America, where they are associated with toxic plants in the family Apocynaceae -- primarily Asclepias species (milkweeds). The interaction between Tetraopes and milkweed plants is a classic example of coevolution and cospeciation at the insect-plant interface. However, the genomic basis of the adaptation to feed on milkweed plants in Tetraopes is poorly understood due to the lack of genomic resources in this genus. This study aims to generate an exemplar genome for this genus as a starting point in further understanding the genomic causes and consequences of specialised feeding on milkweeds.