Use of novel microsatellite markers for population and paternity analysis in the commercially important crab Metacarcinus edwardsii (Brachyura: Cancridae)

Abstract

In order to study fishery stocks and the effect of the male-biased fishery on multiple paternity, new genetic resources were developed for Metacarcinus edwardsii, the most important crab of artisanal fishery in Chile. A total of eight microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized in this crab, using an enriched library. Six to 27 alleles per locus were observed in two samples of 24 crab individuals. The observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.58 to 1.00 and all loci showed no deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium for either. Two sampling sites separated by 300 km showed no differences in allele frequencies, indicating that both sites are a part of the same population. Further, the genotypes of five ovigerous females and their newly hatched larvae showed that only one male was involved in the fertilization of each clutch. The variation detected in these markers is currently being used both for the study of populations of Metacarcinus edwardsii in a highly exploited geographic area and in order to elucidate the mating system of this species.

Key words:

• Decapoda
• fishery stock
• larvae
• mating system

Acknowledgements

We thank Craig Newton and ATG Genetics, Juan Pablo Fuentes, Marcela Riveros and Lafayette Eaton for reviewing the English version of the manuscript. This study was supported by Fondecyt No. 1110445 to LMP. DV also thanks Grant PFB-23 (CONICYT, Chile) and Grant ICM P05-002.

Editorial responsibility: Gavin Gouws