Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the earthwormDrawida gistiMichaelsen, 1931 and cross-amplification in two other congeners

The earthworm (Drawida gisti) is an ecologically important sentinel species for soils that is widely distributed throughout Eastern Asia; however, the molecular tools required for genetic diversity studies of this earthworm are still rare. The aim of the study was to develop and characterize microsatellite markers inD. gistiand to evaluate their transferability to otherDrawidaspecies. We employed a RAD-seq approach to develop 12 microsatellite markers forD. gisti. The characterization and analysis of loci was achieved using 24 individuals ofD. gistifrom a natural population. The number of alleles per locus ranged from four to eleven, with an average of 6.5. Observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.708 to 0.958, and from 0.568 to 0.883, respectively. No loci presented significant deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, while linkage disequilibrium was detected between three loci. Cross-species amplification tests suggested that the transferability of ten loci was positive for the two congenersD. japonicaandD. ghilarovi. This set of microsatellite markers may be used to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structures ofD. gistiand related species in the future.