Microsatellite loci for the blue swimming crab (Callinectes bellicosus) (crustacea: Portunidae) from the Gulf of California, Mexico

Abstract

Twelve microsatellite markers (six di-nucleotides, four tri-nucleotides and two tetra-nucleotides) were isolated and characterized for Callinectes bellicosus, a commercial crustacean species from the Gulf of California, Mexico. One locus was monomorphic and 11 loci were polymorphic in 32 individual samples from a single location. Overall polymorphic loci, the number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 24 (average 10.0), the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.094 to 0.969 (average 0.603), and the expected heterozygosity varied from 0.089 to 0.935 (average 0.597). One locus deviated significantly from Hardy- Weinberg equilibrium due to an excess of heterozygotes, while another locus showed evidence for the presence of a null allele. No evidence of linkage disequilibrium was found among pair of loci. These markers will be helpful to estimate the level of genetic connectivity over a small spatial and temporal scale in order to identify stocks for the management of this small-scale fishery in the Gulf of California. © The Author(s) 2010.