# ERGA-BGE reference genome of Leviellus thorelli, a common orb-weaving spider representing the Zygiellidae family

## TL;DR

This paper presents a high-quality reference genome for the spider Leviellus thorelli, the first from the Zygiellidae family, aiding studies on spider web and silk evolution.

## Contribution

The first chromosome-level reference genome for the Zygiellidae family, enhancing comparative genomic studies of orb-weaving spiders.

## Key findings

- The L. thorelli genome is assembled into 13 chromosomal pseudomolecules with a total size of 2.20 Gb.
- The assembly has high contiguity with contig and scaffold N50 values of 5.4 Mb and 167.1 Mb, respectively.
- This genome supports comparative studies on the evolution of orb webs and silk in spiders.

## Abstract

The
Leviellus thorelli reference genome provides the first high-quality genomic resource for
Zygiellidae, a family of orb-weaving spiders with a dynamic systematic history and distinct for constructing webs with a characteristic spiral-free sector. As part of the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA), we generated a chromosome-level assembly for
L. thorelli that is organized into 13 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 2.20 Gb and is composed of 939 contigs and 130 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 5.4 Mb and 167.1 Mb, respectively. This genome represents a valuable addition to the growing collection of spider genomes. With
Zygiellidae now included among the available genomes of true orb-weavers, this is a key resource for comparative studies into the genomic basis of orb web and silk evolution.