The characterization of microsatellite loci in the communally breeding smooth‐billed ani (Crotophaga ani)

Abstract Microsatellite DNA sequences were isolated and characterized from a Puerto Rican population of communally nesting smooth‐billed anis for use in a parentage/kinship study. Lambda Zap Express (Stratagene) was used to construct a library of 350 000 independent recombinant phage and screened with TG and AAT probes. In total, 85 positive clones (73 TG and 12 AAT) were isolated. Primer pairs were designed for 17 sequences and five polymorphic loci were found (three TG and two AAT). The five loci were characterized with between four and nine alleles and heterozygosity values ranged from 0.538 to 0.840. The combined total parental exclusionary power (with neither parent known) of the five loci was 0.8869.