Development of diploid microsatellite markers for the North American paddlefish ( Polyodon spathula )

We describe 13 diploid microsatellite markers for the North American paddlefish ( Polyodon spathula , Polyodontidae), a declining species that supports a significant recreational fishery and, because of its antiquity, is unusually important in the effort to preserve biodiversity. We tested these markers on 30 individuals from a mainstream reservoir of the Neosho River in northeastern Oklahoma, USA and provide summary statistics on population variability. Eleven loci yielded two to six alleles per locus with mean heterozygosities of 0.533 (observed) and 0.555 (expected). These markers contribute to the availability of markers for programs aimed at monitoring and managing the genetic resources of P. spathula and related Acipenseriform taxa.