Isolation and genotyping of microsatellites of Spix´s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii, Psittaciformes, Aves)

Abstract

Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) is one of the most endangered birds of the world and is extinct in the wild. Several studies are being conducted for its management and conservation in captivity for future reintroduction. Small populations tend to have strong effects of genetic drift and may suffer deleterious effects of inbreeding, further reducing heterozygosity and genetic diversity, which are important for long-term conservation. Microsatellite are useful markers to estimate relatedness between individuals and this data can be used to minimize the deleterious effects of inbreeding in captivity. The objective of this project is to obtain a partial genome sequence of Spix´s macaw to identify microsatellites and genotype at least 10 polymorphic microsatellites from the greatest majority of individuals of this species. This data will allow us to access the genetic similarity among individuals to recommend less closely related pairs for the captive breeding program. (AU)