Development of microsatellite markers for a tropical seagrass, Syringodium filiforme (Cymodoceaceae)

Abstract

Premise of the study: A total of 17 polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for the tropical Atlantic seagrass Syringodium fi liforme (Cymodoceaceae), enabling analysis of population genetic structure in this species for the fi rst time. Methods and Results: The 17 primers amplifi ed di- and trinucleotide repeats revealing two to eight alleles per locus among the South Florida populations tested. In the analysis of two populations from the Florida Keys (Florida, USA), observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.063 to 0.905, although sampling was from relatively closely located populations so heterozygosity is expected to be higher across larger spatial scales. Multiplex PCRs consisting of two 6-plex and one 5-plex reactions were developed to maximize genotyping effi ciency. Conclusions: We present here 17 polymorphic markers that will be useful for the study of clonality and population structure of S. fi liforme , a marine plant that forms extensive habitat throughout the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean.