Characterization of 16 microsatellite marker loci in the Maasai giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi).

Sixteen polymorphic microsatellite markers with an average allele size of k = 4.3 are identified from a genomic plasmid library constructed for giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis ssp.). Primer sequences and marker data are reported in tabular form. The markers were screened in a population of 25 Maasai giraffe ( G. c. tippelskirchi) collected near the Athi River, Kenya. The average observed heterozygosity for each marker was 0.36 with an average expected heterozygosity of 0.535. Hardy-Weinberg deviations are reported from this population, which is suspected to be inbred. The markers will be used to screen the captive giraffe population for subspecific or hybrid classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]