Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the crested gecko, , a lizard incapable of tail regeneration.

Unlabelled: The vast majority of gecko species are capable of tail regeneration, but singular geckos of , , and genera are unable to regrow lost tails. Of these non-regenerative geckos, the crested gecko () is distinguished by ready availability, ease of care, high productivity, and hybridization potential. These features make particularly suited as a model for studying the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying loss of tail regeneration capabilities. We report a contiguous genome of with a total size of 1.65 Gb, 152 scaffolds, L50 of 6, and N50 of 109 Mb. Repetitive content consists of 40.41% of the genome, and a total of 30,780 genes were annotated. Our assembly of the crested gecko genome provides a valuable resource for future comparative genomic studies between non-regenerative and regenerative geckos and other squamate reptiles.

Findings: We report genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation for the crested gecko, .