Characterization of nine polymorphic microsatellite markers in sprat (Sprattus sprattus L.).

Nine polymorphic microsatellites were isolated from sprat (Sprattus sprattus) using a microsatellite enrichment protocol and selective hybridization with a biotinylated (AC)(12) probe. The loci showed different variation patterns in a Baltic Sea population (44 individuals) with mean number of alleles at 12.7 and mean observed heterozygosity at 0.78. These microsatellite loci are expected to be used for taxonomic considerations in sprat, stock differentiation and population genetic analysis.