Isolation and characterization of polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the chestnut-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus ruficeps).

We describe 18 microsatellite markers isolated in the cooperatively breeding chestnut-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus ruficeps). The number of alleles ranged from seven to 16 per locus (mean N(a)  = 10.4 ± 0.54 SE) and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.732 to 0.889 (mean H(E)  = 0.836 ± 0.01 SE). Three of the 18 loci exhibited significant heterozygote deficiency, but the remaining 15 will be used to analyse population genetic structure and the mating system of this highly social species.