Inheritance of null alleles for microsatellites in the white pine weevil (Pissodes strobi [Peck] [Coleoptera : Curculionidae])

Four families of the white pine weevil (Pissodes strobe) produced by controlled breeding were used to study the mode of inheritance at four microsatellite loci. The results confirmed the Mendelian segregation of all loci. Three of the four loci showed the presence of null alleles. The observed high polymorphism of P. strobi microsatellites increased their usefulness for paternity determination. The presence of null alleles predicates the need to redesign primers before using them in population genetics studies where pedigree is unknown.