title: Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers isolated from the widespread avian louse Colpocephalum turbinatum (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Menoponidae).
abstract: We report eight novel microsatellite loci for Colpocephalum turbinatum, a parasitic louse of the endangered Galápagos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis). Two island populations of C. turbinatum (N = 30) were genotyped for each locus. We found between two and 12 alleles per locus, polymorphic information content from 0.268 to 0.798, observed heterozygosity from 0.067 to 0.667 and no linkage disequilibrium was detected between loci. These markers will be useful in understanding contemporary gene flow of C. turbinatum among islands in the Galápagos and in understanding transmission dynamics between B. galapagoensis hosts, within and between social groups. Because this louse is unusually widespread among avian host taxa, parasitizing at least 53 bird species in the Falconiformes, Strigiformes and Columbiformes, these markers are likely to be useful outside the context of the Galápagos Islands.
authors.affiliation: Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA, Department of Biology and Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Maureen B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Noah K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Whiteman
authors.forename: Cris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Patricia G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Travis C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Glenn