Polymorphic microsatellite primers developed from DNA of the endangered Mekong giant catfish,Pangasianodon gigas (Chevey) and cross‐species amplification in three species of Pangasius

The critically endangered Pangasianodon gigas is endemic to the Mekong River. Despite its importance, little is known about its genetic diversity and conservation efforts are hampered. Ten polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite primer pairs were developed from DNA of P. gigas. The analysis of 20 individuals from hatchery stocks using these primers resulted in two to six alleles/locus; H_O = 0.05–0.95; H_E = 0.05–0.81. All but one locus (Pg‐3) conformed to Hardy–Weinberg expectation. Eight, six and seven primer pairs were amplified with the DNA from Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Pangasius larnaudii and Pangasius sanitwongsei, respectively. These markers will be useful for genetic monitoring of wild and hatchery stocks of these pangasiids.