title: Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from three species of swallows in the genus Tachycineta: T. albilinea, T. bicolor and T. leucorrhoa.
abstract: We describe 30 microsatellite loci developed from three species of swallows in the genus Tachycineta: T. bicolor (tree swallow), T. albilinea (mangrove swallow), and T. leucorrhoa (white-rumped swallow). These commonly studied birds nest in secondary cavities and are distributed from Alaska to Argentina. Primer pairs were designed for each species individually and tested for cross-amplification in 40-48 individuals of all three species. Polymorphism ranged from 5 to 65 alleles per locus (mean = 19.1). These markers will allow comparative studies of extra-pair paternity rates among members of the genus as well as the assessment of population structure.
authors.affiliation: Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Laboratory of Ornithology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY 14850/14853, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Makarewich
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Stenzler
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Lovette