Validation of a species-specific microsatellite markers panel for the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus)

• Grant number: 16/20208-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Marine Fishing Resources
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Wagner Silva Hilsdorf
• Grantee: Kenneth Gabriel Mota
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Acadêmica. Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC). Campus da Sede Mogi das Cruzes. Mogi das Cruzes , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus occurs in the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic and the South American coast from Argentina to Rio de Janeiro. These fish have protogynous hermaphroditism and are essentially sedentary. The strong fishing pressure coupled with the lack of management planning of this species, late sexual maturation of male aggregation in the breeding season and the wide use in the culinary world have led to the inclusion of Epinephelus marginatus on the IUCN list (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as sobrexplotada kind in the world and recently in endangered wildlife extinction of the State of São Paulo. For maintenance and sustainable use of this marine resource development of sensitive methods are needed to estimate the loss of genetic variability in natural populations of this species and assess the population genetic structure. Among the different techniques, microsatellite markers are the most used for such studies. Given the above, the objective of this study is to validate a panel of specific microsatellite loci for Epinephelus marginatus order to provide subsidy for management and conservation of this genetic resource programs. (AU)