Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from a threatened rattlesnake (New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake, Crotalus willardi obscurus)

Six novel microsatellite loci are identified from genomic DNA of the threatened New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi obscurus). Data from the Animas Mountains (New Mexico) population demonstrate these loci: W are highly variable with 5-24 alleles per locus, expected heterozygosities between 0.35 and 0.92, and observed heterozygosities between 0.32 and 0.91; (ii) are sufficiently variable for assigning parentage with total exclusionary power for the first parent of 0.96, and 0.99 for the second parent; and (iii) amplify similar size fragments in other rattlesnakes (C. atrox, C. lutosus, C. scutulatus, and C. tigris).