Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite loci from Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) and their cross-utility in related species: PRIMER NOTE

We isolated one trinucleotide and seven tetranucleotide microsatellite loci for the Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola). We describe polymerase chain reaction conditions and primers for the successful amplification of these loci and report the results obtained from their use in 42 specimens from two populations in Europe. The number of alleles per locus ranged from three to 15, observed heterozygosity was comprised between 0.11 and 1.00 and expected heterozygosity ranged between 0.10 and 0.91. Cross-specific amplification experiments highlighted the potential usefulness of these molecular markers for the study of three related scolopacid waders.