New Microsatellite Markers for the Model Coral Species Stylophora pistillata from Eilat, the Red Sea

Abstract

Nineteen microsatellite loci, obtained by the whole genome sequencing approach, were developed and validated for the ‘smooth cauliflower’ coral Stylophora pistillata, a widespread Indo Pacific branching coral species. A sample size of 40 colonies collected at five reef sites along the northern Gulf of Eilat, the Red Sea, were genotyped, revealing loci reproducibly and suitable outcomes for wide applications, including population genetic studies. The 19 new microsatellite loci in this sample were composed of 4–20 alleles/locus, of which 10 microsatellites are highly polymorphic (≥10 alleles/locus). The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged between 0.289 and 0.957 (mean 0.597) and 0.101 and 0.911 (mean 0.726), respectively, and the Fixation Index (F), which also indicates the inbreeding coefficient, ranges between −0.174 and 0.569 (mean 0.207). The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranges between 0.100 and 0.904 (mean 0.699). This new set of microsatellite loci will be employed for population genetics studies as for identifying the distribution of various genotypes within S. pistillata chimeras.