Development of ten highly polymorphic microsatellite markers for Sunbirds (Aves: Nectariniidae) with broad cross-amplification utility in at least eight species

We describe the isolation of ten microsatellite loci from the Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird using an enrichment protocol. All loci were variable with the number of alleles ranging from 5 to 13, and observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.500 to 0.929. Nine of these loci were screened on a panel of seven additional Sunbird species from three genera. All nine were successfully amplified and remained highly variable. Given 10-15% sequence divergence among these species in the mtDNA ND2 gene, our results suggest that these markers will work broadly across most members of the species rich bird family Nectariniidae.