Characterization of microsatellite loci in village indigobirds Vidua chalybeata and cross-species amplification in estrildid and ploceid finches

摘要

We characterized 11 microsatellite primer pairs for the village indigobird Vidua chalybeata. The loci were highly polymorphic, with 7-13 alleles per locus. Gene diversity, estimated as expected heterozygosity, ranged from 0.52 to 0.86, and was generally matched by levels of observed heterozygosity (0.49-0.91). Many of these primer pairs amplified polymorphic loci in cross-species amplification trials with a variety of estrildid and ploceid finches and a sparrow, Passer griseus. These primers will be valuable for genetic analyses of the brood parasitic indigobirds and whydahs (genus Vidua) as well as other Old World finches.