SREL Reprint #3422

Development and characterization of 33 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers for the brown tree snake Boiga irregularis

Shem D. Unger1, Erin F. Abernethy1, Stacey L. Lance1, Rochelle R. Beasley1, Bruce A. Kimball2,
Thomas W. McAuliffe3, Kenneth L. Jones4, and Olin E. Rhodes Jr.1

1Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29802, USA
2United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Resources Center, Monell Chemical Senses Center,
3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
3United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, P.O. Box 10880,
210 Amau’ulu Road, Hilo, HI 96720, USA
4Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine,
Aurora, CO 80045, USA

Abstract:
Background: Boiga irregularis is a widespread invasive species on Guam and has led to extirpation of most of the island’s native avifauna. There are presently no microsatellite markers for this invasive species, hence we developed highly polymorphic microsatellite markers to allow for robust population genetic studies on Guam.
Findings: We isolated and characterized 33 microsatellite loci for the brown tree snake, B. irregularis. The loci were screened across 32 individuals from Guam. The number of alleles per locus ranged from three to ten, with an average of 4.62. The expected (He) and observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.294 to 0.856 and from 0.031 to 0.813, with an average of 0.648 and 0.524, respectively. Significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were detected at seven loci after Bonferoni correction. Probability of identity values ranged from 0.043 to 0.539.
Conclusions: These genetic markers are useful for understanding a suite of post-invasion population genetic parameters, sources of invasions, and effectiveness of management strategies for this invasive species.

Keywords: Boiga irregularis, Brown tree snake, Invasive species, Illumina, Microsatellites

SREL Reprint #3422

Unger, S. D., E. F. Abernethy, S. L. Lance, R. R. Beasley, B. A. Kimball, T. W. McAuliffe, K. L. Jones, and O. E. Rhodes Jr. 2015. Development and characterization of 33 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers for the brown tree snake Boiga irregularis. BMC Research Notes 8(658): 1-4.

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