title: Single primer-based DNA amplification as a suitable  and low-cost tool for assessing genetic diversity in mangrove crabs.
abstract: We used single primer-based DNA markers to assess  genetic variability of the mangrove crab, Ucides cordatus, collected  from four different localities from Pará to Santa Catarina States in Brazil  (almost 5000 km distant). Five primers were chosen based on the consistency of  the amplified bands and the polymorphism of each locus. A total of 78 loci were  amplified in 76 samples; high polymorphism rates were detected in the entire  sample (80.8%) and within each locality (73.5-79.5%). Analysis of molecular  variance demonstrates significant differences between localities (P <  0.001); however, the Φ(ST) value (0.078) indicates a low level of genetic  differentiation, which suggests that U. cordatus larvae can spread over  large distances. The variation was distributed among the samples, and most of  it was attributed to differences among individuals within localities. Cluster  analysis, based on the Jaccard similarity coefficient, and the Mantel test gave  similar results to the analysis of molecular variance data. Despite the low  level of population structuring, these markers could be used for studying U.  cordatus diversity, due to the high level of polymorphism.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências da Natureza, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Bom Jesus, PI, Brasil. fbbritto@yahoo.com
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Britto
authors.forename: D S F
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: I H A
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Cintra
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Diniz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D014644:Genetic Variation; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004247:DNA