title: Development of 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci for the endangered Seychelles palm Lodoicea maldivica (Arecaceae).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The evolutionarily and ecologically distinct coco de mer palm Lodoicea maldivica (Arecaceae) is endemic to two islands in the Seychelles. Before colonization of the islands by man, the endangered palm formed large monodominant stands, but its natural range is now restricted to four main populations and several patches of isolated individuals. Microsatellite markers were designed to investigate the genetic structure of the remaining natural populations of L. maldivica.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We developed 12 polymorphic and three monomorphic microsatellite markers for this species, with a mean number of alleles per locus of 13.2 (range 5-21) and expected heterozygosity values ranging from 0.31-0.91 for the polymorphic loci.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These markers enable us to study the patterns of genetic diversity, contemporary seed dispersal, and the fine-scale spatial genetic structure of this important conservation flagship species.
authors.affiliation: ITES-Ecosystem Management, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Emma J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: ITES-Ecosystem Management, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kirsti
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Määttänen
authors.affiliation: Ecological Networks, Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 3, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: Christopher N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Kaiser-Bunbury
authors.affiliation: ecogenics GmbH, c/o Microsynth AG, Schützenstrasse 15, 9436 Balgach, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buser
authors.affiliation: Seychelles Islands Foundation, La Ciotat Building, Mont Fleuri, P.O. Box 853, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles.
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fleischer-Dogley
authors.affiliation: ITES-Ecosystem Management, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Chris J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kettle
keywords: Arecaceae; Lodoicea maldivica; Praslin; coco de mer; microsatellites; parentage analysis