17 novel polymorphic microsatellite markers for the giant water bug,Abedus herberti(Belostomatidae).
The giant water bug (Abedus herberti) is a large flightless insect that is a keystone predator in aridland aquatic habitats. Extended droughts, possibly due to climate change and groundwater pumping, are causing once-perennial aquatic habitats to dry, resulting in serious conservation concern for some populations.A. herbertialso exhibits exclusive male parental care, which has made it a model organism for studying mating systems evolution. Here we describe 17 novel polymorphic microsatellite loci developed forA. herberti. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 15, and average observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.579 and 0.697, respectively. These loci can successfully resolve both population genetic structure among sites separated by 3-100 km (FST= 0.08-0.21,P< 0.0001), and divergent mating strategies within local populations, making them highly useful for conservation genetics studies of this vulnerable species.
Entomology Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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Daly-Engel
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Smith
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Finn
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Knoderbane
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Phillipsen
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Lytle
Hemiptera; Mating systems; Polygyny; Population genetics; Stream ecology