Polymorphic microsatellite markers in the western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis

The western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis (Poeciliidae), is native to the south-central United States. Together with the eastern mosquitofish, G. holbrooki, this hardy fish has been used in a diverse array of experimental studies (Meffe & Snelson 1989). Although allozyme variation in Gambusia is among the highest reported for vertebrates (Wooten et al. 1988), this variation may not be sufficient to provide a basis for detecting severe population bottlenecks (Leberg 1992; Richards & Leberg 1996). Here we present seven G. affinis microsatellite loci and evaluate their usefulness in related poeciliids.