The chromosome-level genome assembly of <i>Nyctalus aviator</i>

Currently, three carnivorous bat species, namely <i>Ia io,</i> <i>Nyctalus lasiopterus</i>, and <i>Nyctalus aviator</i>, are known to actively prey on seasonal migratory birds (hereinafter referred to as “avivorous bats”). However, the absence of reference genomes impedes a thorough comprehension of the molecular adaptations of avivorous bat species. Herein, we present the high-quality chromosome-scale reference genome of <i>N. aviator</i> based on PacBio subreads, DNBSeq short-reads and Hi-C sequencing data. The genome assembly size of <i>N. aviator</i> is 1.77 Gb, with a scaffold N50 of 102 Mb, of which 99.8% assembly was anchored into 20 pseudo-chromosomes. After masking 635.4 Mb repetitive sequences, a total of 19,703 protein-coding genes were identified, of which 99.1% were functionally annotated. The genome assembly and gene prediction reached 96.1% and 96.5% completeness of Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO), respectively. This chromosome-level reference genome of <i>N. aviator</i> fills a gap in the existing information on the genomes of carnivorous bats, especially avivorous ones, and will be valuable for mechanism of adaptations to dietary niche expansion in bat species.