title: Characterization of microsatellite loci in the subsocial spider Stegodyphus lineatus (Araneae: Eresidae).
abstract: Stegodyphus lineatus spiders live in groups consisting of closely related individuals. There appears to be no discrimination against related individuals as mates but females mate multiply, despite the fact that matings are shown to carry a cost. We have developed eight polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite markers that allow us to assess levels of heterozygosity and relatedness among individuals of this species. These molecular markers are likely to prove highly effective tools for estimating levels of inbreeding and thus allow us to test hypotheses about the relationships between social structure, mating strategies and inbreeding avoidance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade 1540, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark, School of Biology, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK, NGB Genetics s.r.l., University of Ferrara, Via Borsari, 46, 44100 Ferrara, Italy1, Department of Experimental & Evolutionary Biology, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bilde
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tuni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cariani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tabarroni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garoia
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Goodacre