First isolation and characterization of genomic SSR markers for the giant red shrimp Aristaeomorpha foliacea (Risso, 1827).

Fourteen microsatellite markers were isolated from the giant red shrimp Aristaeomorpha foliacea (Risso, 1827) using the FIASCO protocol (fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats). Polymorphism was assessed in 30 individuals from two localities of the western Mediterranean basin (N = 20 from Sardinia and N = 10 from Sicily); nine loci showed polymorphism with 2 to 19 alleles per locus (average: 8.9). Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.36 to 0.91, and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.50 to 0.97 and from 0.47 to 0.93, respectively. Two loci showed significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and evidence of linkage disequilibrium was found for only one locus pair. These loci are the first to be characterized in A. foliacea and could be effective tools for the investigation of genetic diversity, population structure, and demographic connectivity, useful information for the management of this important commercial resource.