The gastropod snail Lottia gigantea was chosen as the first lophotrochozoan for whole genome sequencing because the species is an emerging model in evolution and development, ecology, and conservation. The genus is relatively recent in origin and highly diverse, with over 150 species in the Pacific Basin, where they are often conspicuous and important members of the intertidal fauna. Their genome is small relative to other molluscs, consisting of about 500 mega base pairs. The complete L. gigantea genome sequence will provide a foundation for elucidating the evolutionary and ecological success of the species and its lineage and will provide a critical point of comparison for understanding the early diversification of animals and their genomes.
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