Characterization of six microsatellite loci in the Baltic blue mussel Mytilus trossulus and cross-species amplification in North Sea Mytilus edulis

Abstract

The blue mussel Mytilus trossulus occurs in the Pacific and in the North Atlantic. We developed and characterized six microsatellite loci for Baltic M. trossulus. Seventeen microsatellite loci were screened, of which six were polymorphic. The number of alleles among 50 individuals ranged from 3 to 13 and the observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.09–0.46 and 0.34–0.86, respectively. The loci were also tested for cross amplification in M. edulis, in which four of the six microsatellite loci were successfully amplified.