Polymorphic microsatellite loci in the Chinese skink, Plestiodon chinensis (squamata: scincidae)

Nine polymorphic microsatellite loci are described for the Chinese Skink, Plestiodon chinensis (Scincidae). Loci were screened in 32 unrelated individuals of P. chinensis collected from a population in Lishui (Zhejiang, N 27°25′, E 120°26′). These markers revealed a high degree of genetic diversity (4–12 alleles per locus) and heterozygosity ( H O ranged from 0.250 to 0.875, and H E ranged from 0.467 to 0.863). No locus exhibited significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. There was no evidence of linkage disequilibrium among pairs of loci. These microsatellite loci are the first time to be characterized, and will be useful for the study of gene flow, population structure, evolutionary history and conservation management of P. chinensis .