TECHNICAL NOTE Isolation and characterization of 17 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the spectaclecase, Cumberlandia monodonta (Bivalvia: Margaritiferidae) Kentaro Inoue • Gregory R. Moyer • Ashantye ´ Williams • Emy M. Monroe • David J. Berg Received: 7 July 2010 / Accepted: 16 July 2010 / Published online: 28 July 2010 Ó US Government 2010 Abstract We isolated 29 microsatellite loci from Cumberlandia monodonta, a freshwater mussel species that has experienced population declines throughout its range. Seventeen loci were polymorphic, with 3–13 alleles, observed heterozygosity values of 0.375–1.00, and 38% of alleles found in more than one population. These loci should be useful for describing population genetic diver- sity, which will facilitate ongoing conservation efforts for C. monodonta. Keywords Cumberlandia monodonta  Spectaclecase  Margaritiferidae  Microsatellite primers Freshwater mussels (families Margaritiferidae and Unionidae) are among the most endangered groups of animals in North America (Lydeard et al. 2004). Cumb- erlandia monodonta (Say 1829), the spectaclecase, was historically widespread and abundant throughout the Mississippi River system (Williams et al. 2008). However, habitat alteration has led to the extirpation and/or frag- mentation of numerous populations. Distribution extent has declined as populations have been extirpated, and many of the remaining populations have been reduced in size (Watters et al. 2009). Several recent surveys have found only single live specimens (Harris et al. 2009). Extirpation, drastic population reduction, and continuing decline has led to candidate status for this species under the US Endan- gered Species Act (Federal Register 2009). Phylogeographic analysis of C. monodonta using allo- zymes and mitochondrial DNA sequencing showed a lack of genetic structure among putative populations (Monroe 2008); sequencing of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer region showed a lack of within—population varia- tion (Elderkin 2009). These results suggest that C. mono- donta has high gene flow among populations and/or that post-Pleistocene dispersal throughout the Mississippi River basin has homogenized populations (Monroe 2008). Therefore, detection of variation among populations will require the use of highly variable genetic markers such as microsatellite loci. Since Eackles and King (2002) first isolated and charac- terized microsatellite loci from an endangered mussel species, such loci have been isolated from other endangered freshwater mussels (e.g., Geist et al. 2003) and used to examine levels of genetic variation and population structure (e.g., Jones et al. 2006). Such information uncovers patterns of genetic struc- ture, while also suggesting strategies for conserving genetic variation and developing effective population management practices. The goal of our study was to develop and charac- terize microsatellite markers from C. monodonta for future population genetics studies in order to inform conservation and management of this species. We extracted genomic DNA from mantle tissue frozen at -80°C, using standard phenol–chloroform extraction K. Inoue (&) Department of Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA e-mail: inouek@muohio.edu G. R. Moyer  A. Williams Conservation Genetics Laboratory, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Warm Springs, GA 31830, USA E. M. Monroe Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA D. J. Berg Department of Zoology, Miami University, Hamilton, OH 45011, USA 123 Conservation Genet Resour (2011) 3:57–60 DOI 10.1007/s12686-010-9289-z