Parentage assignment of the mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) based on microsatellite markers

Abstract

In this study, microsatellite markers were employed to identify the parentage relationship in Scylla paramamosain . The exclusion probability of loci was found to be related with the level of their heterozygosity. When no parent information or only one parent information was available, the exclusion probability ranged from 22.0% to 56.6% and from 41.2% to 73.1%, with the combined exclusion probability for ten loci being 97.0% and 99.8%, respectively. The cumulative assignment success rate was 100% when no parent information was available using seven most informative microsatellite markers. Moreover, the power of the seven microsatellite markers for parentage assignment was tested by a double-blind test, which indicated that 95% of the progeny can be correctly assigned to their parents. This study provided a microsatellite-based approach for parentage assignment in S. paramamosain that will be useful for investigation of genetic background and molecular marker-assisted selective breeding in this important crab species. • Ten microsatellites were selected to identify the parentage in Scylla paramamosain. • The genotypes of lost parents were deduced based on the genotypes of their progeny. • The exclusion probability of ten loci was 99.8% when one parent genotype was used. • 95% of the progeny can be assigned to their parents when seven loci were used.