Isolation and characterisation of 16 microsatellite loci from a widespread tropical hydrozoan, Lytocarpia brevirostris (Busk, 1852)

Abstract

We isolated and characterized 16 polymorphic microsatellite loci for Lytocarpia brevirostris (Aglaopheniidae), a hydrozoan common in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. Four to 34 alleles per locus were detected at the Indo-Pacific scale. At the population level, observed (H o) and expected (H e) heterozygosities ranged across 0.100–0.625 and 0.097–0.597, respectively. Three markers showed significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, all of them presenting null alleles. Linkage disequilibrium was detected in three pairs of loci among 120. These primers provide powerful tools for studying population genetic diversity and the implication of life cycle strategies on population differentiation in tropical hydrozoans. This will be valuable for the conservation of coral reefs biodiversity and the design of marine protected areas.