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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
Published on: October 5, 2017
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
Dení Ramírez-Macías1, Kristine Shaw, Rocky Ward
1Laboratory of Biotechnology of Marine Organisms, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Mar Bermejo 195, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, 23090 La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory, Leetown Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Wellsboro, PA 16901, USA Department of Fisheries, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Avenue, Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, 23096 La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico.
Abstract:
In preparation for a study on population structure of the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), nine species-specific polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers were developed. An initial screening of 50 individuals from Holbox Island, Mexico found all nine loci to be polymorphic, with two to 17 alleles observed per locus. Observed and expected heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0.200 to 0.826 and from 0.213 to 0.857, respectively. Neither statistically significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg expectations nor statistically significant linkage disequilibrium between loci were observed. These microsatellite loci appear suitable for examining population structure, kinship assessment and other applications.
