Characterization of 14 microsatellite loci developed for Dermacentor albipictus and cross-species amplification in D. andersoni and D. variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae)

Eleven polymorphic and three monomorphic microsatellite loci were developed for Dermacentor albipictus using three methods: (1) screening of a microsatellite enriched genomic DNA library, (2) in silico screening of EST libraries, and (3) adapting loci previously developed for D. variabilis (Say). An average of 4.91 alleles was detected per polymorphic locus. Average observed and expected heterozygosity among polymorphic loci was 0.518 and 0.623 respectively. No locus was significantly linked and one locus exhibited significant deviation from Hardy?CWeinberg equilibrium. All loci amplified with varying success in D. andersoni and D. variabilis. These microsatellite loci will be useful for studying the species boundaries and genetic diversity of Dermacentor albipictus in North America.