Development and characterization of fourteen novel microsatellite loci in Chinese muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi)

Fourteen novel polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized for Muntiacus reevesi, a small deer species. An (AG)n enriched library was created from two individuals following the FIASCO protocol (Fast Isolation by AFLP of Sequences COtaining repeats). 14 primers were designed from 98 microsatellite sequences and tested in 32 samples. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 13 and the expected heterozygosities from 0.123 to 0.916. The loci had an average polymorphic information content value of 0.676. Five loci showed significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and no linkage disequilibrium was detected. These markers should be a useful tool for further population genetic studies of Muntiacus reevesi.