The genome sequence of the stone loach, Barbatula barbatula (Linnaeus, 1758)

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Barbatula barbatula (the stone loach; Chordata; Actinopteri; Cypriniformes; Nemacheilidae). The genome sequence is 617.6 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 25 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.64 kilobases in length

The genome sequence of the black-veined white butterfly, Aporia crataegi (Linnaeus, 1758). [version 1]

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Aporia crataegi (the black-veined white; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Pieridae). The genome sequence is 230 megabases in span. The complete assembly is scaffolded into 26 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the Z sex chromosome assembled. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 10,860 protein coding genes

Probing the Local Velocity Distribution of WIMP Dark Matter with Directional Detectors

We explore the ability of directional nuclear-recoil detectors to constrain the local velocity distribution of weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter by performing Bayesian parameter estimation on simulated recoil-event data sets. We discuss in detail how directional information, when combined with measurements of the recoil-energy spectrum, helps break degeneracies in the velocity-distribution parameters. We also consider the possibility that velocity structures such as cold tidal streams or a dark disk may also be present in addition to the Galactic halo. Assuming a carbon-tetrafluoride detector with a 30-kg-yr exposure, a 50-GeV WIMP mass, and a WIMP-nucleon spin-dependent cross-section of 0.001 pb, we show that the properties of a cold tidal stream may be well constrained. However, measurement of the parameters of a dark-disk component with a low lag speed of ~50 km/s may be challenging unless energy thresholds are improved.Comment: 38 pages, 15 figure

The genome sequence of rosebay willowherb Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop., 1771 (syn. Epilobium angustifolium L., 1753) (Onagraceae).

We present a genome assembly from an individual Chamaenerion angustifolium (fireweed; Tracheophyta; Magnoliopsida; Myrtales; Onagraceae). The genome sequence is 655.9 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 18 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial and plastid genome assemblies have lengths of 495.18 kilobases and 160.41 kilobases in length, respectively

Lack of support for Rensch's rule in an intraspecific test using red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) populations

Rensch's rule proposes a universal allometric scaling phenomenon across species where sexual size dimorphism (SSD) has evolved: in taxa with male‐biased dimorphism, degree of SSD should increase with overall body size, and in taxa with female‐biased dimorphism, degree of SSD should decrease with increasing average body size. Rensch's rule appears to hold widely across taxa where SSD is male‐biased, but not consistently when SSD is female‐biased. Furthermore, studies addressing this question within species are rare, so it remains unclear whether this rule applies at the intraspecific level. We assess body size and SSD within Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), a species where females are larger than males, using 21 populations derived from separate locations across the world, and maintained in isolated laboratory culture for at least 20 years. Body size, and hence SSD patterns, are highly susceptible to variations in temperature, diet quality and other environmental factors. Crucially, here we nullify interference of such confounds as all populations were maintained under identical conditions (similar densities, standard diet and exposed to identical temperature, relative humidity and photoperiod). We measured thirty beetles of each sex for all populations, and found body size variation across populations, and (as expected) female‐biased SSD in all populations. We test whether Rensch's rule holds for our populations, but find isometry, i.e. no allometry for SSD. Our results thus show that Rensch's rule does not hold across populations within this species. Our intraspecific test matches previous interspecific studies showing that Rensch's rule fails in species with female‐biased SSD.The authors further thank NERC (Standard research grant to MJGG, BCE and OYM), Swiss National Science Foundation (postdoctoral fellowships and Ambizione grants to OYM), the University of East Anglia and ETH Zürich for support.Peer Reviewe

The genome sequence of the orange-tip butterfly, <i>Anthocharis cardamines</i> (Linnaeus, 1758).

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Anthocharis cardamines (the orange-tip; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Pieridae). The genome sequence is 360 megabases in span. The majority (99.74%) of the assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the W and Z sex chromosomes assembled. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 12,477 protein coding genes