Development of twelve novel polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers for the Boeseman’s rainbowfish (Melanotaenia boesemani) and tests for their cross-utility in 21 rainbowfish species from West Papua (Indonesia)

International audienceWe developed 12 microsatellite markers for theendangered Boeseman’s rainbowfish (Melanotaeniaboesemani). Twenty-eight individuals from the type localityat Ayamaru Lake were examined, and all loci were polymorphicwith a number of alleles per locus varying from 3 to 18.Average observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.681and 0.678, respectively. Cross-species amplification was successfullyobtained for 21 Melanotaenia species, with a numberof alleles per locus ranging between 1 and 20. Averageobserved and expected heterozygosities varied between 0.105and 0.708 and 0.118–0.755, respectively. Only 21 inbreedingcoefficient (Fis) values presented a significant homozygoteexcess among the 264 locus-by-locus calculated values. Testsfor genotyping errors revealed that four of these 21 significantFis values could be explained by the presence of null alleles.These new microsatellite markers appear highly reliable forfurther conservation purposes or population genetic studies ofthe many rainbowfish endangered species