Characterization of 14 microsatellite loci in the paired lamprey species Ichthyomyzon unicuspis and I. fossor and cross amplification in four other Ichthyomyzon species

We describe the isolation and development of 14 polymorphic microsatellite loci in silver lamprey (Ichthyomyzon unicuspis). The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 11 (with an average of 5.1 alleles per locus) in 23-37 lampreys and genetic diversity ranged from 0.036 to 0.837. All of these loci were also polymorphic (with 2-10 alleles, average 4.4) in the closely related northern brook lamprey (I. fossor), and at least eight were polymorphic in four other Ichthyomyzon species. These loci will aid in studying the population dynamics of these six Ichthyomyzon species.