Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci from the chinstrap penguin, Pygoscelis antarctica

Abstract

Sixteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for the chinstrap penguin, <em>Pygoscelis antarctica</em>. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to nine. The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.136 to 0.864 and from 0.208 to 0.831, respectively. Cross-species amplification was successful in other penguin species, including <em>Pygoscelis papua, Pygoscelis adelie</em>, and<em> Eudyptes chrysolophus.</em> The microsatellite markers developed in this study can be used in future conservation studies.