Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Microsatellite multiplex assay for the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster cf. planci

  • Technical Note
  • Published:
Conservation Genetics Resources Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Population outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.) represent one of the most significant biological disturbances on Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Here, we combine 15 published and 11 newly isolated polymorphic microsatellite markers from the coral-eating starfish, A. cf. planci and describe their integration into four multiplex PCRs. All markers were polymorphic with a mean of 11.7 ± 1.9 SE alleles per locus and an average observed heterozygosity of 0.619 ± 0.049 SE across 195 genotyped individuals from the Great Barrier Reef. This multiplex assay provides an effective means of investigating the population dynamics of crown-of-thorns starfish and the initiation and spread of population outbreaks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Alberto F (2009) MsatAllele_1.0: an R package to visualize the binning of microsatellite alleles. J Hered 100:394–397

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pratchett MS, Caballes C, Rivera-Posada JA, Sweatman HPA (2014) Limits to understanding and managing outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.). Oceanogr Mar Biol Annu Rev 52:133–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Wainwright BJ, Arlyza IS, Karl SA (2012) Eighteen microsatellite loci for the crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci. Conserv Genet Resour 4:861–863

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yasuda N, Nagai S, Hamaguchi M, Lian CL, Nadoaka K (2006) Development of microsatellite markers for the crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci. Mol Ecol Notes 6:141–143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yasuda N, Nagai S, Hamaguchi M, Nadaoka K (2007) Seven new microsatellite markers for crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci. Plankton Benthos Res 2:103–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to volunteers who assisted with sample collections. This project was supported by funding from the Commonwealth Department of Environment (Reef Plan) and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies to MSP, and KAUST Competitive Research Grant (URF/1/1389-01-01) and baseline research funds to MLB.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Hugo B. Harrison, Vanessa Messmer & Morgan S. Pratchett

  2. Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 23955-6900, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

    Pablo Saenz-Agudelo, Manalle Al-Salamah & Michael L. Berumen

  3. Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile

    Pablo Saenz-Agudelo

Authors
  1. Hugo B. Harrison
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pablo Saenz-Agudelo
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Manalle Al-Salamah
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Vanessa Messmer
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Morgan S. Pratchett
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Michael L. Berumen
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hugo B. Harrison.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Harrison, H.B., Saenz-Agudelo, P., Al-Salamah, M. et al. Microsatellite multiplex assay for the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster cf. planci . Conservation Genet Resour 7, 627–630 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-015-0462-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-015-0462-2

Keywords

Profiles

  1. Hugo B. Harrison View author profile
  2. Morgan S. Pratchett View author profile