A reference genome for the Andean cavefish Trichomycterus rosablanca (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae): Building genomic resources to study evolution in cave environments.

This article focuses on the development of a high-quality, chromosome-scale reference genome for *Trichomycterus rosablanca*, a blind and depigmented cavefish species endemic to the karstic caves of the Eastern Andes in Colombia. Using long-read PacBio HiFi sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding, the assembled diploid nuclear genome spans approximately 1.04 Gb across 27 chromosomes, with high completeness indicated by BUSCO scores exceeding 95%. This genomic resource represents the first reference genome for the genus *Trichomycterus* and aims to facilitate research into the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying convergent evolution of cave-adapted phenotypes, such as eye and pigmentation loss, in multiple independent lineages of these catfishes. The study also outlines ongoing comparative and population genomic analyses to elucidate evolutionary processes shaping phenotypic adaptation in cave environments.