Twelve microsatellite markers in the invasive tunicate, Didemnum vexillum, isolated from low genome coverage 454 pyrosequencing reads

454 pyrosequencing reads were used to isolate microsatellites in the global marine ascidian invader, Didemnum vexillum. This method allows simple and cost-effective isolation of new markers from organisms without existing genomic information and, to our knowledge, has not been used before to develop a polymorphic microsatellite marker set. Loci had between two and eleven alleles and overall mean observed and expected heterozygosities of 0.57 and 0.62, respectively. These markers will greatly facilitate research required to develop control and mitigation strategies for D. vexillum.