SREL Reprint #3337

Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for common raven (Corvus corax) and cross species amplification in other Corvidae

Christin L. Pruett1, Leping Wan1, Tianyu Li1, Cory Spern1, Stacey L. Lance2, Travis Glenn3,
Brant Faircloth4, and Kevin Winker5

1Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
2Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29802, USA
3Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
4Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
5University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA

Abstract:
Background: A priority for conservation is the identification of endemic populations. We developed microsatellite markers for common raven (Corvus corax), a bird species with a Holarctic distribution, to identify and assess endemic populations in Alaska.
Results: From a total of 50 microsatellite loci, we isolated and characterized 15 loci. Eight of these loci were polymorphic and readily scoreable. Eighteen to 20 common ravens from Fairbanks, Alaska were genotyped showing the following variability: 3–8 alleles per locus, 0.25–0.80 observed heterozygosity (Ho), and 0.30–0.80 expected heterozygosity (He). All loci were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and linkage equilibrium and many loci amplified and were polymorphic in related taxa.
Conclusions: These loci will be used to identify endemic populations of common raven and assess their genetic diversity and connectivity.

Keywords: Corvus, PCR primers, Microsatellite, Holarctic, Alaska

SREL Reprint #3337

Pruett, C. L., L. Wan, T. Li, C. Spern, S. L. Lance, T. C. Glenn, B. C. Faircloth, and K. Winker. 2015. Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for common raven (Corvus corax) and cross species amplification in other Corvidae. BMC Research Notes 8(655): 1-4.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).