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Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in the kakerori (Pomarea dimidiata) using feathers as source of DNA

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Abstract

The kakerori (Pomarea dimidiata) is an endangered forest bird in the Cook Islands, South Pacific. We have developed 10 microsatellite markers using kakerori feathers as the DNA source. Seven of these loci were found to be polymorphic in 42 individuals examined. The number of alleles per locus in the polymorphic loci varied from 3 to 5. Observed and expected heterozygosity ranges were 0.57–0.74 and 0.50–0.74, respectively. All loci isolated conformed to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium expectations. We believe these loci will be useful in studying kakerori conservation genetics, and our success in developing microsatellite markers from feather samples will encourage the use of less invasive sample sources in microsatellite isolation studies.

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Acknowledgements

This work is funded by the University Research Fund 26151/1496 of Victoria University of Wellington, and carried out under approval GMD004530(30379) from the Environmental Risk Management Authority of New Zealand. We would like to thank Hugh Robertson (New Zealand Department of Conservation) and Edward Saul (Takitumu Conservation Area, Cook Islands) for sample collection, also Ian Karika (Takitumu Conservation Area, Cook Islands) for arranging field work logistics. The Takitumu Conservation Area was established in Rarotonga in 1996 by local landowners to protect native animals and plants in the Cook Islands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Molecular Systematics, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand

    Chi-Hang Chan, Yudi Zhao & Geoffrey K. Chambers

  2. Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Molecular BioSciences, Massey University, North Shore Mail Centre, Private Bag 102904, Auckland, New Zealand

    Mei-Yan Cheung

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  1. Chi-Hang Chan
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  2. Yudi Zhao
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  3. Mei-Yan Cheung
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  4. Geoffrey K. Chambers
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Correspondence to Chi-Hang Chan.

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Chan, CH., Zhao, Y., Cheung, MY. et al. Isolation and characterization of microsatellites in the kakerori (Pomarea dimidiata) using feathers as source of DNA. Conserv Genet 9, 1067–1070 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-007-9456-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-007-9456-2

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