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Characterization of 25 new microsatellite markers for the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and cross-species amplification in other cetaceans

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Abstract

Cetaceans are large mammals widely distributed on Earth. The fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus, is the second largest living animal. In the 20th century, commercial whaling reduced its global population by 70%, and in the Mediterranean Sea not only was their overall population depleted but the migration between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean was reduced. Previous genetic studies identified isolation between these two regions, with a limited gene-flow between these adjacent populations based on nuclear and mitochondrial markers. However, only limited information exists for the Mediterranean population as genetic diversity and abundance trends are still unknown. In this study, 39 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers were tested, including 25 markers developed de novo together with 14 markers previously published. An average allelic diversity of 8.3 alleles per locus was reported, ranging from 3 to 15 alleles per locus, for B. physalus. Expected heterozygosity was variable among loci and ranged from 0.34 to 0.91. Only two markers in the new set were significantly deviant from the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. Cross-species amplification was tested in four other cetacean species. A total of 27 markers were successfully amplified in the four species (Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Megaptera novaeangliae, Physeter macrocephalus and Globicephala melas). A multivariate analysis on the multilocus genotypes successfully discriminated the five species. This new set of microsatellite markers will not only provide a useful tool to identify and understand the genetic diversity and the evolution of the B. physalus population, but it will also be relevant for other cetacean species, and will allow further parentage analyses. Eventually, this new set of microsatellite markers will provide critical data that will shed light on important biological data within a conservation perspective.

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Acknowledgements

We thank WWF-France for providing samples from Balaenoptera physalus, Physeter macrocephalus, Globicephala melas. We are also grateful to all the volunteers of WWF-France who participated in the campaigns at sea. We thank W. Mullié in Mauritania for the collection of Balaenoptera acutorostrata samples. Thank you to J. Almany for english corrections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. WWF-France, Paris, France

    Céline Tardy & Denis Ody

  2. PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 66860, Perpignan, France

    Céline Tardy, Serge Planes & Emilie Boissin

  3. Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, Perpignan, France

    Serge Planes & Emilie Boissin

  4. Univ Brest, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, ISYEB, 29200, Brest, France

    Jean-Luc Jung

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  1. Céline Tardy
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  2. Serge Planes
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  4. Denis Ody
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Correspondence to Céline Tardy.

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The sampling was non-lethal and a priori approved by the DREAL (Direction Régionale de l’Environnement, de l’Aménagement et du Logement) of Provence-Alpes Côte d’Azur.

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Tardy, C., Planes, S., Jung, JL. et al. Characterization of 25 new microsatellite markers for the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and cross-species amplification in other cetaceans. Mol Biol Rep 47, 6983–6996 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-020-05757-0

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