@unpublished {22556, title = {High quality genomes corroborate 29 chromosomes of the haploid Hyles (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) karyotype}, year = {2022}, pages = {1-47}, type = {Unpublished bioRxiv preprint}, abstract = {

\"FISH analysis of the karyotype revealed n = 29 chromosomes in Hyles euphorbiae. The measured genome sizes of H. euphorbiae and H. vespertilio are estimated to have average 1C DNA values of 472 and 562 Mb respectively. The H. euphorbiae genome was PacBio sequenced and amended by Hi-C Illumina data yielding a 504Mb assembly with a scaffold N50 of 18.2 Mb and 99.9\% of the data being represented by the 29 largest scaffolds, corroborating the haploid karyotype. Chromosome length estimations based on karyotype image data provide an additional quality metric of the assembled chromosome sizes. Hi-C data was also used for chromosome-level scaffolding of the published H. vespertilio genome, leading to a second assembly (651 Mb) with scaffold N50 of 22 Mb, 98\% in the 29 largest scaffolds representing the chromosomes. The larger H. vespertilio genome size was accompanied by a proportional increase of repeats from 45\% in H. euphorbiae to nearly 55\% in H. vespertilio.
In both Hyles species, the three wing pattern genes, optix, wingless/wint-1 and cortex, were found on chromosomes 23, 4 and 17, respectively. Peaks of divergence surrounding wingless/wnt-1 and cortex provide candidate genomic areas in which wing patterns are determined in this genus.

}, keywords = {CHROMOSOME ASSEMBLY, CHROMOSOMES, FISH ANALYSIS, GENOME ASSEMBLY, HYLES, SPHINGIDAE}, doi = {10.1101/2022.04.08.487644}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.04.08.487644}, author = {Hundsdoerfer, A.K. and Schell, T. and Patzold, F. and Yoshido, A. and Marec, F. and Daneck, H. and Winkler, S. and Greve, C. and Hiller, M. and Pippel, M.} } @unpublished {22378, title = {Anti-bat ultrasound production in moths is globally and phylogenetically widespread}, year = {2021}, month = {09/2021}, pages = {1-31}, type = {bioRxiv preprint}, abstract = {

\"Warning signals are well known in the visual system, but rare in other modalities. Some moths produce ultrasonic sounds to warn bats of noxious taste or to mimic unpalatable models. Here we report results from a long-term study across the globe, assaying moth response to playback of bat echolocation. We tested 252 genera, spanning most families of large-bodied moths, and outline anti-bat ultrasound production in 52 genera, with eight new subfamily origins described. Based on acoustic analysis of ultrasonic emissions and palatability experiments with bats, it seems that acoustic warning and mimicry are the raison d\&$\#$39;etre for sound production in most moths. However, some moths use high-density ultrasound capable of jamming bat sonar. In fact, we find preliminary evidence of independent origins of sonar jamming in at least six subfamilies. Palatability data indicates that jamming and warning are not mutually exclusive strategies. To explore the possible organization of anti-bat warning sounds into acoustic mimicry rings, we intensively studied a community of moths in Ecuador and found five distinct acoustic clusters using machine learning algorithms. While these data represent an early understanding of acoustic aposematism and mimicry across this megadiverse insect order, it is likely that ultrasonically-signaling moths comprise one of the largest mimicry complexes on earth.\"

}, keywords = {ACOUSTICS, APOSEMATISM, BATS, DEFENCE, DIVERSITY, EREBIDAE, EVOLUTION, HEARING, JAMMING, LEPIDOPTERA, MIMICRY, PREDATOR AVOIDANCE, SPHINGIDAE, STRIDULATION, TYMBAL ORGANS, ULTRASONICS}, doi = {10.1101/2021.09.20.460855}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.09.20.460855}, author = {Barber, J.R. and Plotkin, D. and Rubin, J.J. and Homziak, N.T. and Leavell, B.C. and Houlihan, P. and Miner, K.A. and Breinholt, J.W. and Quirk-Royal, B. and Padr{\'o}n, P.S. and Nunez, M. and Kawahara, A.Y.} } @unpublished {22213, title = {De novo genome assembly of the Tobacco Hornworm moth ( Manduca sexta)}, year = {2020}, month = {08/2020}, pages = {1-18}, type = {Unpublished preprint}, abstract = {

\"The Tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, is a lepidopteran insect that is used extensively as a model system for studying insect biology, development, neuroscience and immunity. However, current studies rely on the highly fragmented reference genome Msex_1.0, which was created using now-outdated technologies and is hindered by a variety of deficiencies and inaccuracies. We present the new reference genome for M. sexta , JHU_Msex_v1.0, applying a combination of modern technologies in a de novo assembly to increase continuity, accuracy, and completeness. The assembly is 470 Mb and is ~20x more continuous than the original assembly, with scaffold N50 \>14 Mb. We annotated the assembly by lifting over existing annotations and supplementing with additional supporting RNA-based data for a total of 25,256 genes. The new reference assembly is accessible in annotated form for public use. We demonstrate that improved continuity of the M. sexta genome improves resequencing studies and benefits future research on M. sexta as a model organism.\"

}, keywords = {CHROMOSOME ASSEMBLY, GENE ANNOTATION, GENOME ASSEMBLY, MANDUCA, METAMORPHOSIS, MIDGUT, MINION, NOVASEQ, SPHINGIDAE}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.29.270983}, author = {Gershman, A. and Romer, T.G. and Fan, Y. and Razaghi, R. and Smith, W.A. and Timp, W.} } @unpublished {16912, title = {A preliminary check-list of Tanzanian Sphingidae with a record of specimens in Norway}, year = {1994}, keywords = {CHECKLIST, SPHINGIDAE, TANZANIA, TEMNORA, WORLDMAP1}, author = {Bj{\o}rnstad, A.} }