Low Heterozygosity and Historical Bottleneck Effect Depicted From the Genome Assembly of the Indus River Dolphin (Platanista Minor)

The study provides a draft genome assembly of the Indus River dolphin, highlighting its low genetic diversity and historical population bottleneck, which are critical for conservation strategies. The genome reveals low heterozygosity (0.0218%) and a significant reduction in population size 40–20 thousand years ago, likely due to environmental changes. The dolphin's genome includes 25,591 protein-coding genes and shows its early divergence among river dolphins, with a divergence from the sperm whale estimated at 32.4 million years ago. These findings underscore the importance of genetic studies for understanding the evolutionary history and aiding the conservation of this endangered species, emphasizing the need for more advanced sequencing to improve genome completeness.