Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata)

The Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata) is one of the most endangered avian species in the world. Its dramatic decline to near extinction in 1975 was thwarted only by the establishment of two captive breeding programs. To date, conservation efforts resulted in a significant population recovery with over 400 living birds either at the two captive breeding sites, or released into the wild. However, despite nearly 40 years of conservation efforts, very few specific tools are available to study genetic diversity of this species. Here we present 18 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers developed using the genome sequence of A. vittata and verified in a population sample. The markers cross-amplify in two sister species from other islands: the Hispaniolan (A. ventralis) and the Cuban (A. leucocephala) parrots. The primer pairs we developed will eventually aid the breeding efforts by providing unique identifiers for individual birds, and in the population studies monitoring recovery of critically endangered A. vittata.