Highly polymorphic microsatellite loci for Speyeria idalia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Four polymorphic microsatellite loci were identified in the butterfly Speyeria idalia. We constructed a phagemid library and screened approximately 120 000 inserts. Probing with GT15, we identified 36 positives and designed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for 12 potential loci. Of those loci, only four consistently produced polymorphic, diallelic PCR products in the expected size range. These results are consistent with previous studies concerning the low frequency of microsatellite loci in the lepidoptera, although these four loci are highly polymorphic and therefore likely to provide information on the fine scale genetic structure among populations in this species.