The chromosome-level genome of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum

Bivalve molluscs, comprising animals enclosed in two shell valves, are well-adapted to benthic life in many intertidal zones. Clams have evolved the buried lifestyle depending on their important phenotypes and adaptation, with the wedge-shaped muscular foot and long extendible siphons. However, molecular mechanisms of adaptative phenotype evolution remain largely unknown and hampered by the limited molecular information. In the present study, we present a high-quality chromosome-level genome of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum, an economically important marine bivalve living under the sediments in many coastal areas. The genome was constructed by the Hi-C assisted assembly, which yielded 19 chromosomes with a total of 1.17 Gb and BUSCO integrity of 92.23%. The findings of gene family expansion and tissue-specific expression may reflect the phenotype evolution of clams adaptive for the buried lifestyle, suggesting the evolution of lineage-specific morphological novelties.