Comprehensive genus-wide screening of seahorse microsatellite loci identifies priority species for conservation assessment

Abstract

The lack of available genetic resources for species of conservation concern is a significant barrier to assessments of their genetic diversity, which can provide unique insights into population health, demography, and resilience. Highly variable microsatellite markers are typically developed de novo as part of population genetic studies and are rarely tested systematically for their broader applicability, limiting their potential use in a conservation context. Here, we develop a new panel of cDNA-linked microsatellite loci for the pot-bellied seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis), and systematically screen these loci, together with other available seahorse markers, across a taxonomically-diverse sample of seahorse species. We characterize panels of 7–24 microsatellite loci for all seahorses, including a variety of IUCN-listed species that have not yet been the target of genetic analysis, and use these loci to obtain baseline data on their genetic diversity. The comparative analysis of these data identifies a number of genetically-depauperate lineages that should be considered priority areas for more in-depth genetic assessment.