Identification of genes expressed in the testis and ovary and fat body of the sponge moth, Lymantria dispar japonica

The sponge moth, Lymantria dispar, is a well-known forest pest that is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere. sponge moths can be divided into three major groups: European, Asian, and Japanese, which differ in behavior, physiology, and pathogen resistance. In addition, there are several closely related species that can interbreed with the sponge moth. These facts indicate that the sponge moth is a useful model organism for understanding the process of acquiring novel traits during speciation. However, there is no available information on the genes possessed by the sponge moth. Therefore, we performed RNA-seq on sponge moth gonads and fat bodies and de novo assembly of the obtained sequences in order to catalog all the genes of the sponge moth.