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Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for the Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris and their utility in other steppe birds

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Abstract

New microsatellite loci for Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris were isolated from a genomic library. We were able to unambiguously score six loci: two were dinucleotide, one trinucleotide, two tetranucleotide and one pentanucleotide that turned out to be sex-linked. Four out of six loci were polymorphic with 7–23 alleles in our population and an observed heterozygosity ranging between 0.286 and 0.936. Cross-utility of these markers was tested in other 17 steppe-bird species of six families. In addition, 16 microsatellite loci developed for other species were tested for cross-species amplification in A. campestris. Eight microsatellite markers were successfully amplified; seven of them were polymorphic with 2–43 alleles and an observed heterozygosity of 0.040–0.863. Overall, 14 functional locus markers have been characterized for A. campestris that could be useful for future studies of paternity, genetic variability and population structure.

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Acknowledgements

We thank I. Hervás, J.H. Justribó and F. Suárez for their help during the fieldwork. L. Perez-Rodríguez and F. Casas provided White Wagtail samples. This study was funded by JCCM projects PAC06-0137 and PII1C09-0128-4724. M.C. was supported by a predoctoral grant (I3P) from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). We thank the Dirección General del Medio Natural of Castilla y León for capture licences. The work described in this manuscript complies with current SP law.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCLM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, E-13005, Ciudad Real, Spain

    María Calero-Riestra, Fernando Alda, Jose Antonio Dávila & Jesús T. García

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  1. María Calero-Riestra
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  2. Fernando Alda
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  3. Jose Antonio Dávila
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  4. Jesús T. García
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Correspondence to María Calero-Riestra.

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Communicated by C. Gortázar

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Calero-Riestra, M., Alda, F., Dávila, J.A. et al. Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for the Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris and their utility in other steppe birds. Eur J Wildl Res 58, 379–383 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-011-0580-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-011-0580-4

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