Characterization of eight novel microsatellite markers for the neotropical bat Rhynchonycteris naso and cross-species utility

Neotropical emballonurid bats are known to exhibit an exceptional diversity in social systems and dispersal strategies. Here we report the isolation of eight new microsatellite markers which will be employed to investigate ultimate causes and consequences of sex-biased dispersal by use of paternity, relatedness and population structure analyses. Novel microsatellite markers developed for the species Rhynchonycteris naso turned out to be highly polymorphic. Number of alleles ranged from seven to 31 alleles per locus and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.74 to 0.95. Seven loci were autosomal and one locus appeared to be situated on the X-Chromosome. Cross-species amplification in four species was more successful in more closely related than in more distantly related genera of neotropical emballonurids. Together with other eleven microsatellites initially isolated for Saccopteryx bilineata, we now posses powerful tools for studying species of the two bat genera, Saccopteryx and Rhynchonycteris.