Development of microsatellites for the genus Salamandrina: a tool to discriminate between northern and southern spectacled salamanders (Salamandrina perspicillata and S. terdigitata) and their hybrids

Ten microsatellite loci were developed for the northern spectacled salamander, Salamandrina perspicillata, and crossamplification was obtained for the southern spectacled salamander, S.terdigitata. These two species are the sole representative of the genus Salamandrina, a threatened amphibian endemic to Italian peninsula. The two salamanders show a parapatric distribution with a contact zone in Central Italy. All but one locus were polymorphic and six microsatellites were found diagnostic for species discrimination. We genotyped a total of 169 individuals. Allelic diversity was 5.1±1.5SE in S. perspicillata and 1.9±0.31SE in S. terdigitata. Mean observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.51±0.06SE and 0.61±0.07SE, respectively in the northern spectacled salamander and 0.35±0.15SE and 0.35±0.09SE, respectively in the southern spectacled salamander. These new markers will provide an excellent tool to assess population structure and genetic diversity in Salamandrina and will be used to investigate natural hybridization events between northern and southern spectacled salamanders.