Data from: Conservation genetics of the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, populations in Pacific Costa Rica

Maintaining genetic diversity is crucial for the survival and management of threatened and endangered species. In this study we analyzed genetic diversity and population genetic structure at neutral loci in American crocodiles, Crocodylus acutus, from several areas (Las Baulas, Santa Rosa and Palo Verde National Parks, Rio Tarcoles and Area of Conservation Osa) in Pacific Costa Rica. We genotyped 184 individuals at nine microsatellite loci to investigate genetic diversity and conservation genetics between and among populations. No population was at Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium over all loci tested and a small to moderate amount of inbreeding was present. Populations along the Pacific coast had an average heterozygosity of 0.572 across all loci. All populations were significantly differentiated from each other with both FST and RST measures of population differentiation. There were 2.89 effective migrants per generation along the entire coast. The level of population and estimation of effective migration supported the presence of metapopulations along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and not one panmictic population. An effective management plan that maintains the connectivity between clusters is critical to the success of Crocodylus acutus in Pacific Costa Rica.