Development of polymorphic microsatellite loci for the rattlesnake species Crotalus atrox, C. cerastes, and C. scutulatus (Viperidae: Crotalinae) and cross-species amplification of microsatellite markers in Crotalus and Sistrurus species

We provide details on 46 microsatellite loci for Crotalus and Sistrurus rattlesnake species. We isolated 14, five, and four novel polymorphic species-specific microsatellite markers for Crotalus atrox , C. scutulatus , and C. cerastes , respectively. We observed seven to 36 alleles per locus. Additionally, we provide data on the cross-species amplification of previously published microsatellite markers for Crotalus and Sisturus species. Subsets of novel and cross-species amplified microsatellite markers were used to genotype populations of C. atrox , C. cerastes , and C. scutulatus in Southern Arizona. The numbers of alleles per locus in the combined marker sets range from three to 38 ( C. atrox : 8–37, C. scutulatus : 3–35, C. cerastes : 4–38). Many novel and existing microsatellite markers cross-species amplified successfully. Marker sets of 20 or more polymorphic microsatellites provide high resolution for population genetics studies. Markers used in this study will likely be informative in additional Crotalus species.