A microsatellite genetic linkage map of half smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

Half smooth tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis (Pleuronectiformes, Cynoglossidae), is an important aquaculture species throughout coastal areas of China which has a high nutritional and economic value. Genetic linkage map is an important tool for accelerating aquatic breeding process through marker assisted selection (MAS) and quantitative trait locus (QTL). Here, 325 polymorphic microsatellite markers were explored and sex-specific genetic linkage map were constructed using these markers. The female map contained 193 markers located at 21 linkage groups, with a total length of 1041cM and an average resolution of 6.8cM; the male map contained 195 markers located at 21 linkage groups, with a total length of 1154cM and an average resolution of 7.2cM, they covered approximately 76.72% and 78.12% genomes, respectively. The recombination ratio of female/male was about 1:1.02 estimated in the sex-specific frame map. All developed microsatellite markers and this linkage map could serve as the foundation for further study in high density linkage map construction.