Development of microsatellite loci for population studies of the pink ling, Genypterus blacodes (Teleostei: Ophidiidae)

Fifteen microsatellite loci were developed for pink ling (Genypterus blacodes), a fish of significant commercial importance to Australasia. Nine loci were examined in samples from five regions of Australia's South East Fishery. All nine were highly polymorphic, numbers of alleles per locus ranged from 11 to 52 in total samples of 270-306 individuals. The average observed heterozygosity per locus per sample (0.823) was a little lower than the average Hardy-Weinberg expected heterozygosity per sample (0.895), perhaps reflecting the possible presence of null alleles at two loci. There was no significant evidence of genetic stock heterogeneity.