Microsatellite loci isolated from the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), one of the largest Neotropical mammal

Abstract

We describe ten microsatellite loci from the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), one of the last members of the Neotropical megafauna and considered a vulnerable species. A total of 74 alleles were detected, ranging from four to thirteen alleles per locus. The expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.34 to 0.88, with a mean of 0.635. All but one locus conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg expectations. These microsatellite loci can be used in population genetic studies of the genus Tapirus, in which all species are threatened globally.