Isolation and characterization of nine microsatellite loci in the endangered Worthen's Sparrow (Spizella wortheni)

Abstract

We report the isolation and characterization of nine microsatellite markers from Worthen's Sparrow (Spizella wortheni), an endangered bird species endemic to northeastern Mexico. We tested the markers in 32 samples of the species collected near Saltillo Coahuila, Mexico. All markers were polymorphic, with 3-31 alleles per locus, and no difference was found between the observed and expected heterozygosity when applying a sequential Bonferroni correction and a table-wide significance level of 0.05. We found no evidence for linkage disequilibrium between the markers and estimated a null allele frequency of 0.00-0.05. The new markers will allow elucidating the genetic structure and life history of Worthen's Sparrow and guiding conservation efforts for this endangered species.