Genome Assembly and Annotation of the Io Moth, Automeris io (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

The lepidopteran family Saturniidae is a diverse group of moths that belong to the superfamily Bombycoidea. These moths are characteristically large in size, sexually dimorphic and brightly colored with some having well-developed eyespots on their wings. Saturniids are also one of the two primary silk-producing families within the Bombycoidea. Despite their evolutionary and economic value, the family lacks a reference genome sequence and many of the silk-producing genes identified in closely related taxa have yet to be identified within the family. Here, we report a preliminary PacBio genome assembly and annotation for the Io moth, Automeris io. This assembly will have important implications in identifying genes and regulatory pathways critical to silk production and wing coloration. Additionally, it could help resolve conflicting evolutionary patterns that have been challenging with smaller phylogenetic datasets.