Chromosome-level genome assembly of Rhynchium brunneum (Fabricius, 1793) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Abstract The wasps of Rhynchium exemplify solitary vespid predators controlling Lepidopteran pests through venom-mediated paralysis, with their venom possessing significant medicinal potential. As dominant models within the species-rich subfamily Eumeninae representing 70% of Vespidae diversity, they provide critical insights into sociality evolution and biocontrol mechanisms. To boost research on Vespidae, we used PacBio long-read, short-read RNA-seq (Illumina) and Hi-C scaffolding technologies to create a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly for Rhynchium brunneum, an important solitary insect. We obtained a 328.90 Mb assembly with a Scaffold N50 size of 15.98 Mb. We detected 96.2% Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologues (BUSCO) in the genome assembly, which contains 51.77% repetitive sequences and has 12,999 protein-coding genes annotated. In R. brunneum, we identified 173 gene expansions and 274 genes that underwent contraction or loss. The high-quality genome of R. brunneum provides a valuable genetic resource for future research in evolution, molecular biology, and applied studies.