Development and characterization of ten microsatellite loci for the reef manta ray Manta alfredi

We isolated and characterised ten microsatellite loci from the reef manta ray, Manta alfredi. Loci were screened for 60 individuals from Japan. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 10 and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.033 to 0.867. Cross-species amplification was successful in the sister species M. birostris (9/10 loci) and other mobulids, Mobula japanica (7/10), M. thurstoni (8/10) and M. tarapacana (5/10). These loci provide new tools for assessing population genetic structuring and genetic monitoring.