Isolation and characterization of twenty polymorphic microsatellite markers for the endangered Dupont's lark (Chersophilus duponti) and cross-amplification in crested lark (Galerida cristata) and thekla lark (Galerida theklae)

摘要

We developed twenty microsatellite markers for the Dupont0 s lark (Chersophilus duponti), one of the most endangered European bird species, and tested in two related, more widely distributed species: crested lark (Galerida cristata) and thekla lark (Galerida theklae). 14 markers amplified and were polymorphic in Dupont0 s lark, 11 in crested lark and 6 in thekla lark. Microsatellite var- iability analyses were carried out on Dupont0 s lark (N = 23–28 individuals), crested lark (N = 9–10) and thekla lark (N = 14) populations in NE Spain showing moderate/high diversity, ranging from 1 to 13 alleles per locus. The mean allelic richness in Dupont’s lark was 6.21 and expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.195 to 0.848 and from 0.071 to 0.889, respectively. Crested and thekla larks showed moderate/high diversity with a mean allelic richness of 4.36 and 4.67, respectively. This microsatellite set could be useful for population genetic studies of lark species widely differing in popula- tion fragmentation and conservation status across the Old World.