Microsatellite frequency and size variation in the parthenogenetic parasitic wasp Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Nine genomic libraries of the parthenogenetic wasp Venturia canescens were screened for microsatellite loci. In contrast to other Hymenoptera (GT)n and not (CT)n, was the predominant repeat category found with 14 kb and 28 kb genomic DNA between loci, respectively. Mono‐ and trinucleotide microsatellites were rarer, occurring at frequencies between 231 kb and 589 kb of genome, whilst tetranucleotide repeats are scarce, with (ATTC)n and (CCGG)n loci occurring every 692 kb and 983 kb, respectively, and only one small imperfect (GATA)n locus and no (GACA)n loci were revealed. Over 70% of the dinucleotide, and all the trinucleotide microsatellites were small (less than eleven repeats), whilst 60% to 80% of loci were imperfect. Moreover, very few compound microsatellites and only a single association between different microsatellites were observed.