Microsatellite mining of a freshwater crab

The aim of the study was to generate a low-coverage, shotgun sequencing library for a South African freshwater crab, which would be mined for microsatellites. Once identified, primers were designed in the flanking regions for the amplification of these loci. Reliably-amplifying loci were used to genotype individuals of the this species to assess levels of variation and polymorphism. Additionally, cross-amplification success in three congeneric species was evaluated. The resulting microsatellite markers will be used for population genetic studies of freshwater crabs of the African genus Potamonautes.