Isolation and characterization of 30 Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) for Temminck’s ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) and potential for cross amplification in other African species. Smutsia temminckii

Temminck’s ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) is one of four species of pangolin which can be found in Africa. All four African pangolin species are listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species due to on-going exploitation for traditional medicine and bushmeat. In this study, 30 species-specific short tandem repeats (STRs) were developed in Temminck’s ground pangolin using Next Generation Sequencing. The markers were also optimized for cross-amplification in other African species. All the markers amplified successfully in Temminck’s ground pangolin with allelic polymorphisms observed in 87% of the markers in giant pangolin (S. gigantea) whereas 60% of the markers amplified polymorphic loci in both white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) and black-bellied pangolin (P. tetradactyla). Analysis of diversity estimates showed moderate levels of variability in Temminck’s ground pangolin (Na = 5; Ho = 0.559), giant pangolin (Na = 4.909; Ho = 0.514) and white-bellied pangolin (Na = 2.686; Ho = 0.541) with lower values being observed in black-bellied pangolin (Na = 3; Ho = 0.242). This study provides data of the first available STR markers that amplify in all four African pangolin species that can now be used in conservation genetic and evolutionary aspects of population histories.